The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-09-22
OFFER BY POPE
is ACCEPTED
CONTINUED from page H.


that the oppes efforts will succeed
and that the world for years will be
free of fighting, on the principle of
limited ornaments and the triumph
of international right and justice,
freedom of the seas, compulsory arbi-
tration of international difficulties.
American authorities maintain that
when the Teutons talk of having in.
ternational justice prevail, they talk
of an impossible thing under Teu-
ton regime, which regards treaties as
scraps of paper.
The Teutons express the view that
with the general principles of dis
armament and the like settled, the
matters of territorial division can be
settled. by the peace table as the
pope suggested.
The Teuton answer to- the popes
appeal has no effect upon the war
situation as far as this government
is concerned, the state department
declared officially today.
he United States will prosecute
the war on the basis that the strug.
gle must continue until Hohenzollern-
ism is eliminated.
Bulgaria Wants Peace.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 22.-Bulgaria
wants peace. according TO Bulgarian
Minister Stephen Panaretoff today.
Returning from a summer vacation
somewhere in America" Panaretoff
said he has been unable to communi
cate officially with his government,
but knows there is an earnest de-
sire for peace among all the central
powers"
Whether the sentiment is strong
enough for separate negotiations
Parenetoff said he could not say
He denied any completely with
Germany in either propaganda or in
trigue in this country. He made
report to Secretary Lansing this aft
ernoon, outlining Bulgaria's views on
drafting her nationals in this country
into any form of United State serv-
ice There has been much talk re-
Gently of possible Bulgarian defec-
ton, from the central powers and
William has gone to Sofia to try to
smooth out threatened differences.
Bulgaria has persistently been re-
ported as favoring peace.
New Interpretation.
ROME, Sept. Especial signif-
lcance was given today to new inter
probation of Pope Benedict's peace
note by the semi-offcial Corriere D
Italia.
According to the newspaper, the
pope intends that:
Belgium shall be free and restored,
restitution to be made for occupied
territories.
"Alsace-Lorraine to be restored to
France
"Irridentist lands to be awarded TO
Italy
Armenia and Poland to be free.
Mutual agreement concerning tho
Balkans"
Theatrical Clap Trap.
LONDON, Sept. 22.-British news
paper comment on the Teutonic reply
to Pope Benedict today united in the
assertion that nothing else could
have been expected from the German
military chiefs except theatrical
clap trap"
"Hypocritical clap trap" was what
the Evening News called it, adding
the note Showed the Pecksniffian
German ruler at his best"
THE note does not give ground on
which any practical result may be ex-
pected OF the pope's Intervention, .
declared the Star Nothing is said
regarding Belgium, Serbia, or Alsace-
Lorraine"
The Star added its anticipation that
the German and Austrian people and
| the reichstag would be disappointed
by the reply.
German "PeopIe" Discussed 1t.
| LONDON, sept. 22.-Chancellor
Michaeles, for Ibis gracious master,
! the kaiser" took up President VIII
sons challenge to the German people
! that they take hand in governmental
affairs, according to the text of the
German reply to Pope Benedict as
received here today.
The chancellor took pains to point
out to the vatican the governments
close contact with the people" in that
their representatives discussed the
answer" to his holiness.
This refers to the handpicked group
Of reichstag leaders who were per-
mitted to talk over the vatican's
ipeace appeal with the chancellor
he German reply also showed Mi
chaelis' profession that Germany
shares the pope's view of the neces-
sity of simultaneous and reciprocal
limitation of ornaments ION land,
! sea and in the air"
|
ary diplomatic introduction, declared
the kaiser "cherishes a lively desire
that for the benefit of the entire
world the papal appeal may meet
with success. Continuing, Chancellor
Michaelis asserted the pope's efforts
would more surely reckon on sympa-
thetic reception by the kaiser has
regarded it as his principal and most
sacred task to preserve the blessings
of peace for the German people and
the world"
In support of this, Michaelis cited a
speech by the kaiser in 1888 promis-
ing that his love for the German
army would never lead him into war,
unless a forced one and adding "the
German army should safeguard peace
for us, and should peace nevertheless
be broken, it would be in position
to win It with honor"
! Michaelis added that the kaiser
} has by his acts fulfilled the promise
he made in twentysix years of happy