Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1917-08-31
TELLS PONTIFF FOLLY TO TAKE
PATH OF PEACE HE POINTS
OUT IF PROPOSALS DO NOT
LEAD TO GOAL.
LOOKS TO TEUTON PEOPLE i
TO RESTORE WORLD FAITH
Says Every Heart Not Hardened and
Blinded by Terrible War Will Be
Touched by Moving Appeal of
His HoIiness-Cannot Take
Word of Teuton Rulers.

Washington, Aug. 29.-President
Wilson has rejected the Pope's peace
proposals. In a note dispatched and
made public here the President says
that every heart not blinded and hard
ened by the terrible war must be
touched by the moving appeal of His
Holiness, it would be folly to take the
path of peace he points out If it does
not In fact lead to the goal he pro
poses.
To deal with such a power as the
present ruler of Germany upon Pope
Benedict's plan, declares the Presi
dent, would involve recuperatfOn OF
the strength and renewal of the world
domination of that power, now baked
but not defeated after sweeping a
continent with blood of innocent WON.
en- and children and the helpless poor
as well as of soldiers.
Permanent peace must be based up
on the faith of all the peoples and upon
justice and fairness and the common
rights of mankind, he adds.
Complete Text of Note.
The complete text Of the not fol
ITO His Holiness, Benedictus XIV,
Pope:
I'm acknowledgement of the com
munication of Your Holiness to the
belligerent peoples, dated August 1
1917, the President of the United
States requests me to transmit the fol
lowing reply:
Every heart that has not beer
blinded and hardened by this terrible
war must be touched by this moving
appeal of His Holiness, the Pope, must
feel the dignity and force of the hu
name and generous motives which
prompted it, and must fervently wish
that we might take the path of peace
he so persuasively points out. But
it would be folly to take it. If 1t does
not in fact lead to the goal he pro
poses. Our response must be based
upon the stern facts and upon nothing
else. It is not a mere cessation OF
arms he desires: 1t Is stable and en-
during peace. This agony must not be
gone through with again. and 1t must
be matter of very sober judgment
that will insure us against 1t.
His Holiness in substance proposes
that we return to the status quo ante
bellum and that then there be a gen
eral conformation. disarmament, and
a concert of nations based upon an &C
ceptance of the principle of arbitra
ton; that by similar concert free
dom of the seas be established; and
that the territorial claims of France
and Italy, the perplexing problems OF
the Balkan states, and the restitution
Of Poland be left to such conciliatory
adjustments as may be possible In the
new temper Of such a peace, due re
gard being paid to the aspirations OF
the peoples whose political fortunes
and affiliations will be involved.
Free Peoples Menaced.
1T is manifest that no part of this
program can be successfully carried
out unless the restitution of the status
quo ante bellum furnishes firm and
satisfactory basis for it. The object
of this war Is to deliver the free PEG
pies of the world from the menace and
the actual power of vast military es
tablishment controlled by an irrespon
sible government. which, having secret
1y planned to dominate the world, pro
ceeded to carry the plan out without
regard either to the sacred obligations
of treaty or the long established prac
tees and long cherished principles OF
international action and honor; which
chose It's own time for the war; de
livered its blow fiercely and suddenly;
stopped at no barrier. either law OF
mercy; swept whole continent with
In the tide Of blood-not the blood OF
soldiers only, but the blood of limo
cent women and children also, and OF
the helpless poor; and now stands
baked. but not defeated. the enemy OF
four-fifths of the world. This power
is not the German people. 1t is the
ruthless master of the German people
It is no business Of ours how that
great people came under its control OF
submitted with temporary zest to the
domination OF its purpose; but 1t Ia
our business to see to it that the his
s~S~~s~s~~.~.~-~~s~~.~.
Canadian Wheat Safe From Frost.
Calgary, Aug. 29.-Seventy-five per
cent of the wheat around Medicine
Hat, Bassano, Bow Island, Lomond
Lethbridge. Nobleford, Raymond, Ma,
grath and Carmangay is in stack and
by the end of the present week the
whole crop south of the main line of
the Canadian Pacific railway to the
international boundary will be safe
from any serious damage by frost
This Is more than two weeks earlier
than last year. Threshing will be in
full swing by September 10.