Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-09-02
HOW Dutch VIEW
PRESIDENTS REPLY
Head of Anti-War Council
Thinks Executives Answer
"CIears Situation"
QUESTION OF CONFIDENCE
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
THE HAGUE. September -Presi-
dent Dresselhuys of the Dutch anti-war
council and secretary general of the
Dutch department of Justice. communi-
Gates to the Associated Press the fol-
lowing opinion OF the anti-war council.
which assembled today to consider
President Wilson's reply to the Pope's
peace proposal:
THE first glance produces a feeling
of disappointment over the sharp tone
and Partially regarding the RESPONSE
bility for the war. The note will there
fore surely elicit contradiction, even
from those Germans who are in nowiss
admirers OF the present governmental
system.
"A closer examination reveals bright
spots first. the absence of exultation
over Americas military power and no
mention of peace by military victory:
second. the reply shows sympathy Tor
the Pope's peace bases: third. no post
bellum economic war; fourth. contrary
to first appearances, President Wilson
does not insist on the slogan No peace
with the Hohenzollerns.'
Sees Demand FULFILLED.
the will of the German nation shall
henceforth control the policy OF the
German government. from which con-
dition the possibility of peace negotia-
duction Of the parliamentary system
in Germany in no distant future Will
fulfill this demand.
Perhaps. however. the mutation of
power in Germany will show itself I'M
mistakably in another way. II the
reichstag majority forces the govern
ment TO accept unreservedly the papel
peace bases. it would mean the COM
plete defeat of the pan-Gerrnan mill
tary party. 1t is to be hoped that the
President will deem this sufficient new
evidence of the mentality of the Ger
man nation.
Summing up, the Presidents answer
clears the situation. if only the too
sharp tone regarding the German
democrats action toward parliament
| tarization does not impede progress by
| hurting their feelings"
| DR. Theodorus Heemskerk, the former
premier and minister of home AFFAIRS or
the Netherlands, replying to request
| of the Associated Press for an opinion
on President Wilson's reply to the
Pope. has written the following state
ment in English:
The larger part of the note looks as
| If IL contained refusal to negotiate
peace and as If 1t melted the Germans
| to overthrow their government. This
| seems preposterous and painfully i'm
presses the impartial minds. 1t would
! charge the President and his nation
| with a crushing responsibility, more so
| because of the weight of the trouble
| some question. If the President is so
sure of the absolute correctness OF MS
judgment
| but the latter part of the note shows
| that absolute refusal to negotiate with the
| imperial German government cannot De
| its real meaning Surely; to make negoua-
| tons possible, the President will take caro-
that the aggressive Technology OF the
present answer will undergo radical modi-
| fcation.'
that more remains to be said, but space
forbidS.''
willem Hendrix de Beaufort, former
| minister of foreign affairs and curator OF
| Utrecht University, commented as fol-
lows:
president Wilson's answer may have
left the impression that he rejects
negotiations with Germany so long as
the present form of government there
is in control, and that therefore a revo-
luton in Germany must be awaited be-
fore the way to peace is clear. My i'm
preston is different I interpret the
Presidents words as meaning that he
shrinks from entering upon negotia-
| lions with a government of which he Is
not sure il has the full confidence OF
the nation. AS soon as it is shown that
Germany has a government which does
possess such confidence and which
makes peace overtures with which a
great majority of the. reichstag de-
clares itself to be in accord, his OBJ
jections to negotiations fall to the
ground"
OlueT as TO meduS.
ROME. September TN his reply
President Wilson shows himself in ao-
cord with the pontif regarding the
aims but not regarding the means"
said Augusta Ciufelli. the former min
lister of posts and telegraphs and
member of the Italian mission, to the
Associated Press.
while the Pope believes that peace
can be discussed from now, President
Wilson exacts beforehand important
guarantees This is right, because with
those who invented the theory of
scraps of paper and who have EN-.
ployed relentless submarine warfare.
neither words nor treaties are sum-
cient. Therefore, President Wilson de-
mands guarantees from the German
people, not from their rulers.
But IL the German people. blinded
by hatred and kept in darkness and
from knowledge Of the reality, do not
move. how can peace be concluded! II
will be necessary to impose the de-
mocratization of Austro-German instf-
buttons on the governments themselves
obliging them to carry out democra-
service will be rendered to the Austro-
German peoples. who will be grateful
in the future TO President Wilson and
the allies
The great comfort is that America
and President Wilson are determined
that peace shall be just and lasting, to
achieve which any sacrifices must be
made"