Evening journal., 1917-08-29
August %. 1917.
ITO His Holiness.
"Benedletus XIV. pope.

"Benedlctus XIV. Pope.
I'm acknowledgment Of the COM
munication OF Your Holiness to the
belligerent people. date August 4,
1917, the President Of the United
States requests me to transmit the
following reply:
Every heart that has not been
blinded and hardened by thio terri
bic war must be touched by this
moving appeal OF His Holiness, the
Pope, must feel the dignity and
force Of tho humane and generous
motives which prompted II, and
must fervently wish that we might
take the path Of peace he so persua-
slvely points out. But it would be
folly TO take Il II Il does not IN fact
lead to the goal he proposes. Our
response must be based upon the
stern facts and upon nothing elsa.
II Is not a mere cessation Of arms
he desires, Il Is a stable and endur-
ing peace. This agony must not be
gone through with again, and Il
must be a matter Of very sober
judgment what will insure us
against it.
His Holiness IN substance pro-
poses that we return 10 the status
quo ante bellum, and that then
there be a general condonation. dis
armament. and a cencert Of nations,
based upon an acceptance OF the
principle Of arbitration that by a
similar concert freedom Of the seas
be established and that the terri
torial claims Of France and Italy,
the perplexing problems Of the Bal
kan states. and the restitution OF
Poland be left 10 such concilistory
adjustments as may be possible in
the new temper Of such a peace. due
regard being paid 20 the aspirations
OF the peoples whose political for
tunes and aflllations viii be In
volved.
object Of the War Set Forth.
1T is manifest that no part OF this
program can be successfully carried
out unless the restitution Of the
status quo ante furnishes a flrm
and satisfactory basis for II. The
object Of this war Is 90 deliver
the free peoples Of the world from
the menace and the actual power
OF a vast military establishment
controlled by an irresponsible
Government which, having secretly
planned 10 dominate the world.
proceeded 10 carry the plan out
without regard either 10 the sacred
obligations Of treaty or the long es-
tabllshed practices and long cher
ished principles Of international
action and honor; which chose It's
own time for the war; delivered
its blow fercely and suddenl
stopped at no barrier either Of law
or Of mercy; swept a whole con-
tinent within the tide OF blood
not the blood Of soldiers only. but
the blood Of innocent women and
children also. and Of the helpless
poor: and now stands baked but
not defeated, the enemy OF four
nfths OF the world.
"This Power Is not the German
people. II is the ruthless master Of
the German people. Il Is no busi
ness OF ours how that great people
came under its control or submitted
with temporary zest to the dom'na
ton Of its purpose; but It Is on
business to see to it that the his
tory OF the rest of the world Is M
longer left TO It's handling.
Would Make World an Armed Camp
ITO deal with such Power b.
way OF peace upon the plan pro
posed by His Holiness. the Pope
would. so far as we can see, IN
volve a recuperation Of its strengtl
and a renewal Of its policy woul
make it necessary to create a per
manent hostile combination Of No
tions against the German people
who are its instruments; an
would result in abandoning IN
newborn Russia to the Intrigue
the manifold subtle interference an
the certain counter revolutio