Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-08-15
Peace Proposals Arouse Strong Opposition in Entente Capita

the thinking world To pause in reflection. at
least. The hint is launched that Germany
may have chosen the Vatican as means
Of surrendering gracefully. without incur
ring disaster and possible revolution al
| home.
In any event, be the offer accepted or re-
jected, II will serve to implant peace seeds
! In all nations as nothing else has done In
I recent months. Russia promises to hail the
| proposal more or less joyfully Socialists
and pacifsts will get behind IT, while the
workingmen OF Europe are likely to be
rather favorable TO II,
The state Department said recently the
| world would hearken thoughtfully to any
bona fde peace offer.
The Pope. II is believed has the maximum
and minimum Teuton terms. His sugges-
| tions. manifesty unacceptable to either the
| Allied or American standard In some re-
| spects, could be used as n basis of negotia-
| tions, II is held. The proposal to leave
| settlement of the Alsace Lorraine. and
Balkan problems TO peaceful negotiation is
regarded here as n special stumbling block.
On the other hand the Popes proposal
could be so altered as TO permit of terri
toral readjustments satisfactory TO the
President and the Entente and preventive
OF future troubles. IL the orer is inspired
by genuine idea of surrender Ger
many part.
One thing that makes the Popes offer
mere difficult Of handling here is the fact
that he advocates things for which the
President himself has stood The Presi-
dent. It is pointed out, was for long reluc-
tant to join In the struggle and determined
In so far as in his power lay, to keep the
United States at peace His sentiments on
peace may have some important bearing
in the present situation.
Entente dnlomata here ar~ virtually
unanimous in opposing anything other than
rejection of the offer.
British diplomats say that Belgium,
France, Serbia and Rumana must be actu
ally evacuated before peace discussion can
start, Germany must not be allowed to
enter the peace councils with all her lost
territory rcgalned and free from subsection
to reparatlon and guarantees.
At the Italian Embassy II was stated
Minister Media, of the italian Catholic
party, recently spoke his country's convc-
tions when he said Peace cannot come
as result Of the decision of few and
it cannot come from persons with senti- |
mental or fallacIous ideals which they
pretend to impose on the historical reality" !
I'm theory the Pope's move seems to re-
Semble earlier peace proposals of President |
wilson, one French diplomat said NAT |
urally 1t will receive the same attention !
the Presidents utterances always received. |
Natican's move is Austria and Germany. |
and in these circumstances it may rebound |
to the interests of the enemy
1t is for this reason that the Vatican's |
move will most probably fail. The war
must go on to its logical conclusion"
out OF the new Russian democracy, how
ever came this view;
The Vatican move should be taken
seriously perhaps as the most serious peace
move yet made. Russia Is determined 70
hght through another winter IL need be.
but she will certainly welcome any bona
fde peace move that bears a coed likeness
to her own peace formula.
THE fact that the Vatican's offer has
been. made after probable consultation with
Vienna and the Erzberger Catholic faction
in Germany need not necessarily stamn n
as German trap to cash in the Kaisers
Victories on the contrary Ger.
many may be choosing the Vatican to make
a surrender which she could not make
openly hersef without incurrng disaster
and possible revolution at home. She may
have indicated to the Pope her willingness
TO evacuate northern France and Belgium
ana to leave settlements of other questions
to peace conference"
TEXT NOT YET AT CAPITAL
The formal note had not reached III.
State Department up to midforenoon TODAY.
There was an official suggestion that il
might not be delivered to the United States
Government, though the authority for this
said he had not had any advices
to show that such was the case
Secretary Lansing's information Is known
10 nave been that the Pope would make an
appeal, though 1t was not stated definitely
that the United States would be included.
State Department officials profess to have
no idea as to who will deliver the message.
though the general impression was that IL
would come through the Spanish Ambas.
sador because Of the close relations between
Spain and the Church
Permission for Macmillan Harden to re-
publish his paper the Zukunft and his i'm
mediate appeal for return Of Alsace and
Trieste were reported In State Department
cables officials thought Harden's article
may have been inspired as part of the
game"
There is no formal agreement between
ne Allies as to united course of action
oward peace proposals. It was stated unof
lcially today. II was informally under.
STOOD, however when Arthur Balfour and
Rene Nivian were here that there would
,e no acceptance of any peace proffer that
allied to accomplish the war objectves of
he Allies.