The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1917-09-05
MUST Be A
LASTING PEACE
SAYS PRESIDENT

UNIU nLOlDIls1
WILSON'S REPLY
TO THE POPE
"To His Holiness, Benedictus XIV,
Pope:
"In acknowledgement of the COM
munication of your holiness to the
belligerent peoples, dated August l.,
1917, the President of the United
States requests me to transmit the
following reply:
- every heart that has not been
blinded and hardened by this terri
Bile war must be touched by this NOV
ing appeal of his holiness, the Pope,
must feel the dignity and force OF
the humane and generous motives
which prompted it, and must fervent-
ly wish that he might take the path
of peace he so persuasively points
out. But it would be folly to take
it if it does not in fact lead to the
goal he proposes. Our response must
be based upon the stern facts and
upon nothing else. It is not mere
cessation of arms he desires; it is a
stable and enduring peace. This
agony must not be gone through
with again, and it must be a matter
Of very sober judgment what will in
sure US against it.
'sHis Holiness, in substance, pro-
poses that we return to the status
quo ante!bellum, and that then there
be general caai tion, disarma-
ment and a ssWert nations based
upon an acceptance of the principle
Of arbitration; that by similar con-
cert freedom of the seas be establish
ed; 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 possiblt of the peoples whose po-
litical fortunes and affiliations will
be involved.
Object of War Is to Free World.
'sIt is manifest that no part of this
program can be successfully carried
out unless the restitution Of the sta
tus quo ante furnishes a firm and
satisfactory basis for it. The object
Of this war is to deliver the free
peoples of the world from the men
ace and the actual power of a vest
military establishment controlled by
an irresponsible government which,
having secretly planned to dominate
the world, proceeded to carry the
plan out without regard either to
the sacred obligations of treaty or
the long-established principles of in
ternational action and honor; which
chose its own time for the war; de-
livered its blow fiercely and suddenly
stopped at no barrier either of law
or mercy; swept whole continent
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-tifths of the world.
This power is not the German peo-
pie. It in the ruthless master of the
German people. 1t is no business of
ours how that great people came un-
der its control or submitted with
temporary zest to the domination of
its purpose; but it is our business
to see to it that the history of the
rest of hte world is no longer left to
its handling.
Proposals. Would Aid Germany.
"To deal with such a power by
way of peace upon the plan proposed
by his holiness the Pope, would, so
far as we can see, involve recuper-
alton of its strength and a renewal
of its policy; would make 1t neces-
sary to create a permanent hostile
combination of nations against the
German people, who are its instru-
ments; and would result in abandon
ing the newborn Russia to the in
trigue, the manifold subtle interfer-
ence, and the certain counter revo-
luton which would be attempted by
all the malign influences to which
the German Government has of late
accustomed the world. Can peace be
based upon a restitution of its power
or upon any word of honor it could
pledge in treaty of settlement and
accommodation?
Irresponsible statesmen must now
everywhere see, if they never saw
before, that no peace can rest Sc
.,..ol,, ,,non nolifica1 or economic