The sun., 1917-08-15
EXPECT ALLIES
TO GIVE TERMS
Washington Thinks POpe's
Proposal May Open Way
to Settlement.
special DespatcA 70 TIE suS.

WASHINGTON, Aug. ia restatement
OF the aims Of the belligerents and
general discussion of peace terms IL al
most certain to result from the peace
message OF Pope Benedict.
No one here doubts for a moment that
the United States and all the Entente
nations will give the Pope's proposals
respectful and careful consideration. 1t
may well be that they will prove the
cornerstone for the final peace terms
of the future with the understanding of
course that the terms of the United
prevail.
The Pope's peace message has not
been received here, but President Wilson
has already received an outline OF 1t and
is believed to have discussed its general
purport at length to-day with Secretary
Lansing and several members Of the
Cabinet. There was no disposition to
minimize it's Importance as a more or
less definite peace move which must
again renew the peace discussion in all
the belligerent capitals and naturally
require an answer that will at least
make clear the aims OF the belligerents.
Pope'S Second Move.
This is the second move for peace
from the Vatican, but II is the first
definite proposal FOR peace negotiations
emanating from a neutral source since
President Wilson's abortive attempt in
this direction last December. In July,
D.. N~NN a. AnN k.ll
ligerents inviting all friends OF peace TO
unite with him in his desire to end the
war.
While the sincerity of the Pope's mo-
tive at this time naturally cannot be
questioned, nevertheless there was a dis
position in official circles to-day at first
flush to regard this as well as any other
peace move as unwelcome. The United
States having Just begun its war prep
arations deprecates all talk OF peace on
the ground that it must necessarily be
insincere on the part of Germany at
present.
Entente circles likewise show resent
ment OF anything portending toward
peace talk at this time. Tive leading
British and French statesmen have pub
licly expressed the conviction that peace
talk now is merely representative of
the Entente nations and thereby help
her own cause.
Entente's Terms.
But on second thought officials here
are disposed to regard the Pope's move
more favorably for the reason that II
offers an opportunity for the Allies and
the United States to make known in
convincing form their unalterable deter
mination to night on until their Ideals
have been achieved. Nothing in the
Pope's message bars the United States
and the Entente from restating their
terms to the world in precisely the
form they have been stated. In general
terms these are the elimination OF the
German military menace. the demand
for reparation for wrong done and the
guarantee TO all nations of their right
to government with the consent of the
governed.
The possibility OF n peace move was
discussed with British Foreign Minister
Balfour and Vice Premier Viviani when
the British and French official missions
were In Washington, and 1t was agreed
that all the Allies including the United
States, should refuse to discuss peace
terms while Germany occupied the ter
ritories she had taken by force, and
thereby avoid what the allied statesmen
considered German trap.
Now the Pontiff's proposal presents
the question in a somewhat different
light. difficult perhaps to meet. because
1t offers to war weary world a hope
for peace.
"Germnny TO Accept
Germany and her allies are expected
promptly to accept the Pope's proposals
Diplomats of the Entente circle voice
nothing but a unanimous opinion that
the Vatican's proffer will be rejected.
American officials realize that a convinc-
ing reply is required for the world s
page of history. But that the proposals
cannot be accepted as they stand Is
certain. That they will not be, accepted
at all is probable.
There has never been any hesltancy
on the part of the United States and the
Entente about making their terms
known. Germany has steadfastly re-
fused to do So The German contention
has been that the belligerents must meet
around a conference table for a general
discussion of peace before particulariz-
ing. Therefore the Pops's proposals
contain features which are not embar-
RAISING either to the Entente or the
United States
oNNiNhhs VI 'Ath'' isdhSiith biHlStlI all
nounced to-day that the United States
had known In advance OF the coming
peace message He added, however,
that no comment could be made on II
at this time. When asked II this Gov
ernment would consult the Entente Al
lies before replying, Mr. Lansing said
that this was fair assumption.
POpe's Motives.
Following the Cabinet meeting Secre-
tary Lansing was more than ever dis
posed to say nothing about tie message
He made II unmistakably clear that
questions along this Zine were pure
waste OF time at the present time. The
reason for this is that the message is a
document OF such prime Importance that
its actual text win have to be carefully
examined before any official opinion can
be ventured. Just when this text will
arrive Is not known. The Papal Dele
gate says he has not received 1t and
does not expect to. The Spanish Am
bassador, who will probably be chosen
TO act as intermediary for its transmits
sion, has apparently decided to walt un-
I'll he delivers It to President Wilson be =
fore answering any questions about II.
Although outwardly the Pope's mes
sage appears to have been prompted by
German or Austrian peace moves, IL is
realized here that IL may have a far