Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-08-29
PRESIDENT IS VIRTUAL
SPOKESMAN FOR aLL|Es
Selected to Make Answer to Pope
Before the World, in Advance
of AL Others.
OTHERS TO ADOPT REAsoN1N,
General Tenor Of Reply Anticipated,
but No Inkling of Forceful Terms
Employed to Say That There
Could Be No Faith in Kaiser.
IBy Associated prer.1

tBy Associated Press.l
WASHINGTON, August 2S.-President
Wilson's rejection OF tho Pope's peace
proposals is regarded here as the high
water mark of the war Furthermore,
1t Is indicative OF the virtual selection
Of the President by the allies as their
spokesman before the world.
The note comes as a climax to tho
remarkable series OF state documents
in which President Wilson has argued
the cause Of world democracy against
autocracy In tho high court Of public
opinion. and accepted moro and moro
by the people of all the allied countries
as expressing their ideals.
There appears to be no doubt that
the United States was selected to mako
answer before the world, In advance
OF all the others. Whether the entente
nations will send extensive replies is
not known here. 1t Is regarded as
probable that they will in large meas
ure adopt the Presidents reasoning for
their own, and send notes of indorse-
ment.
The general tenor OF the Presidents
reply had been anticipated everywhere,
but there was no inkling of the force
ful terms he would employ to say that
the world can have no faith in tho
autocratic government Of Germany
Students Of diplomacy see in his de-
nunciation OF the military nutocracy
a fresh appeal to The war-ridden Ger
man people to throw of their military
masters.
HOPE THAT THIS APPEAL
WILL FALL ON FERTILE GROUND
Although this appeal probably will
not be permitted to become known in
Germany until the autocracy has at
tempted to mold the temper of the peo-
rle for It's reception by a denunciation
through a government-controll press
or what has been characterized as in
terference In the internal affairs OF
Germany. the hope Is that 1t will fall
on fertile soil.
ihat the Presidents response to the
ropes ovcrtures would be a courteous
out nrm. declination had been gener-
aily believed. so that in this respect at
least his communication will cause no
surprise The feature that Is certain
to fix public attention is the cold de-
termination not even to permit tho
subject OF peace negotiations to be
oroached so long as the evil and DOM
mating forces OF autocracy and mil
itarism control the central powers.
for this reason the President was
not to be led into any discussion or
the peace conditions detailed by Pone
hehedict, though that field was made
ahurinG oy the Pontiff's adoption of
some OF the proposals laid down by
resident wilson himself In early
utterances. On the other hand. there
vas no eHort to evade responsibility
1or an expression OF view as To tba
basis OF sound and enduring mace 49,
the Presidents response in ita oor
Guiding paragraph restates the M
poses for which America entered Oh.
great war
RESPONSE SOUNDS DOOM
OF HOHENZOLLERNrsw
The radical difference that apnear.
to exist between the Pope and N.
president touches this very mattar =,
n stable and enduring peace. The Pom
tif looks to the restoration of condi-
tions as they existed before the war.
the President turns his back upon
these, convinced that a return To IN.
status quo ante bellum could never
bring permanent peace AS ons off,
cial' commenting. expressed 1t, the
Presidents response rejecting, aa II
does the Views OF the entente alIies
sounds the doom OF Hohenzollernism
and military domination of peoples.
That this can and should be accom-
plished without the destruction of the
German people Is one OF the striking
expressions In the Presidents note.
when he expressly disclaims any intent
to. seek punitive damages and tho dis
mernberment OF empires. or even tho
punishment OF tho central powers after
the war by gigantic economic oombi-
nations 1Eafnst those