The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-08-16
TEXT OF PEACE
PROPOSALS RECEIVED

CONTINUED from Page u
and in the air and one saw desola-
ton and death descend upon cities
without defense, upon peaceful viii
lagos and on. their innocent popula-
ton; and now no one can imagine
how the sufferings of all would be
increased and aggravated II Other
months, or worse, still, other years
are to be added to this sanguinary
trienniufa.
No Political Aim.
els this civilized world to be moth
ing more than q field Of death? And
Europe, so glorious and so flourish
ing, is 1t going as If stricken by a
universal madness to run to the
abyss and to lend its hand to its own
suicide?
IN such terrible situation, in the
presence of a menace so serious we.
who have no particular political aim,
who do not listen to suggestions or
to the interests Of any OF the belliger-
ent parties, are solely compelled by
q sentiment of our supreme duty as
the common father Of the faithful,
by the solicitation of our children
who implore our intervention and
our paClIy1ng WOrk
Through the voice even Of hui
manity and of reason, we once more
emit the cry of peace and we renew
a pressing appeal to those who hold
in their hands the destinies of ma
lions. But in order no longer to
speak in general terms as the cir.
curnstances had counselled us in the
past, we now wish to make more
concrete and practical proposals and
to invite the governments of the bell
ligerent peoples to come to an agree
rinent upon the following points
which seem to be q basis of q Just
and durable peace, leaving to them
the task of analyzing and compIet-
ing them.
Diminish Armaments.
First OF all, the fundamental
points must be that the material
force OF arms be substituted by the
moral force of right, from which shall
arise a fair agreement by all for the
simultaneous and reciprocal diminu-
ton of ornaments according to the
rules and guarantees to be establish
ed In a measure necessary and sums
cient for the maintenance Of public
order in each state. Then in the
substitution for armies the institu-
tion of arbitration with its high paci-
tying function, according to the rules
to be laid down and the penalties To-
be imposed on a state which would
refuse either to submit a national
question to arbitration or TO accept
its decision.
"Once the supremacy Of right has
thus been established all obstacles 10
the means Of communications Of the
peoples would disappear by assuring,
by rules to be fixed later, the true
liberty and community Of the seas
which would contribute to end the
causes OF conflict, and
would also open to all new sources
Of prosperity and progress.
''As to the damages TO be repaired
and as to the war expenses we see
no other means of solving the ques-
ton than by submitting as a general
the complete and reciprocal
which would be justi-
fed, moreover, by the immense bene-
At 70 be derived from disarmament
so much so that no one viii under
stand the continuation of a similar
carnage solely for reasons Of an
economic order
IF, for certain cases there exist
particular reason, they would be de-
liberated upon with Justice and
equity, but these pacific agreements
with the immense advantages to be
derived from them are not possible
without a reciprocal restitution OF
the territory at present occupied
Evacuation Of Belgium.
Consequently. on the part Of Ger
many, the complete evacuation Of
Belgium with the guarantee Of her