The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1917-09-07
Presidents Message Seen as
Hardest Blow Ever Dealt
Kaiser and a Strong
Weapon Given
Liberals -
WORD OF GERMANY'S RULERS
CANNOT BE TAKEN
Compromise lS Barred-Loophole ls
Left for Further Efforts on the
Part of the Pope-No Economic
War After War.

shington.-President Wilson's
reply to the Pope serves notice to
the world that the United States wills
not deal with the Hohenzollerns on
any peace basis. The Pope's terms
are not rejected or seriously discussed.
The dignity and force of his appeal
are intellectually recognized, but
the President makes it clear that he
cannot take the word of the present
rulers Of Germany as a guarantee OF
anything that is to endure" Peace
with the peoples Of the Central Powers
would be welcome. But peace with
the German Government is impossible.
1--WE must await some new evidence
Of the purposes of the great peoples
Of the Central Powers" the President
states in the paragraph which reflects
the basic feature Of the reply This
is the means open to the Central
Powers to procure an end of the war,
according to the Presidents note, and
1t leads to the conclusion that peace
negotiations must remain out OF con-
sideration until Prussian autocratic
militarism has been broken either by
influences from within or without.
No Ground for Compromise.
1t leaves a speedy means for the
German people to attain peace, which
is becoming more and more matter
of necessity. But it does not en-
courage belief that the end Of the
conflict will be fastened.
The German Government. according
to the President, stands baked, but
not defeated, and there Is no indica-
ton that the President anticipates
any immediate weakening Of Prussian
militarism or entertains any hope that
its grip on humanity. including the
peoples of the Central Powers, will be
loosened in the near future. The
President, however, leaves no ground
for compromise until this goal has
been reached.
The fact that the President ex-
changed views with the Governments
of the Entente before framing his
reply gives added Importance to those
principles.
Allies in Accord.
Both the British and French Gov
ernments knew in advance what the
President would say. Colville Barclay,
Counsellor of the British Embassy,
was at the State Department to re-
ceive from Secretary Lansing q copy
Of the completed reply. The feeling
in Entente circles Is heartily in sup
port of the Presidents note and there
it is naturally felt that his emphasis
on the need OF eliminating the Hohen-
zollerns may prove trump card In
the international situation.
A feature of the Presidents note is
that for the first time since the war
began 1t gives a definite idea OF how
peace may be procured for the world.
It leaves loophole for further efforts
on the part Of the Pope and serves
virtually as an invitation to the peo-
pies OF the Central Powers to bring
peace nearer.
The reply Is the Presidents master
piece of craftsmanship. With the
greatest diplomacy he thanks the Pope
for his appeal and declares that every
heart which has not been hardened BY
the terrible war must feel the dignity
and force of the humane and generous
motives which prompt 1t.
The Pope's proposal was that there
will be return to the status quo ante
bellum and that there be general
conformation and concert Of nations
based upon the principle Of arbitra-
ticn."
But this, the President states, would
result in a mere deferment of the Is
sues settlement until a future time
when Germany should have recovered
from her losses and was once more In
a position to inaugurate campaign OF
horror
Strong encouragement Is given to
the German people to revolt and over
throw the Hohenzollerns, for it 10
shown that the quickest means to
peace will present itself only when the
Allies can treat with the German peo-
pie themselves and not with their dc.
tators.
The reply was signed by Robert Lam
sing as Secretary of State, although
written by the President himself after
consultation with the former.
WARNS OF U. s. ARMY NEEDS