The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-08-29
WILSON REJECTS
Continued from FIRST PAge.)


ed in the preparation OF the reply
was remarkably short.
That the presidents response 10
the. Pope's iovertures would De q
courteous but Arm dcclination hao
been generally believed SO that IN
this respect at least his con'muni-
cation will cause no surprise.
The feature that is certain to n1
nublic attention Is the cold deter
mination not even TO permit tne
subject Of peace negotiations TO DC
hroached so long as the evil ana
dominating forces Of autocracy ana
militarism control the central pow
ers. It Is not even necessary TO
read between the lines OF the presl-
dents response TO see clearly ap-
parent this inHcxible purpose.
For this reason the president
was not to led into discussion OF
the peace conditions detailed by
Pope Benedict, though that neld
was made alluring by the pontiTs
adoption Of some OF the proposals
laid down by President wilson
himself in early utteranccs. On
tho other hand there was no enort
to eyade responsibility for an ex-
preston Of view as to the basis OF
sound and enduring peace, for the
presidents response In Its conclud-
ing paragraphs re-states the pur-
nose for which America entered the.
great war.
The radical difference that ap-
pears to exist between the Pope and
the President touches this very
matter of stable and enduring
peace. The pontiff looks to the res
toration Of conditions as they existed
before the war; the President turns
his back on these( convinced that
return TO the status quo ante bellum
could never bring permanent peace,
which can be secured only by agree
ment between free peoples on both
sides. AS one official, commenting.
expressed 1t, the Presidents re-
Spouse, rejecting as It does the
views Of the entente allies. sounds
the doom Of Hohenzollenism and
military domination of peoples.
That this can and should be accom-
plishcd without the destruction OF
the German people is one OF the
striking expressions in the Presidtn's
note, when he expressly disclaims
any intent to seek punitive damages
and the Acknowledgement Of empires.
or even the punishment fthe CEN
trail powers after the war by giGan-
tho economic against them.
: This shaft is aimed straight over
the heads ofthe army controlled
German foreign office ut the under
standing and appreciation, Of the
German people. already manifesting
many signs Of determination to
assert their right Ia govern them
selves by parliamentary methods.
It Is assumed here that there will
follow fierce outburst OF denuncia-
ton against the attempt from the
outside to dictate to the German
people their form Of government.
But 1t Is also believed that as tho
hardships Of war and misgovern-
ment bear with ever increasing
severity upon the German people,
they must in the end throw Of ftheir
military masters and take in their
own hands. through n representative
government tho conduct of negotia-
lions looking to fair and honor
able and permanent peace.
Active exchanges have been In
progress between the president. Sec
powers. mainly through the Ameri-
can diplomatic representatives
abroad. regarding tho answer to DO
made to the popc's proposals. ever
since these we're delivered TO the
various foreign offices. 1t seemed
by common consent that 10 Amer
lea was 10 be conflded the heavy
responsibility OF framing and de-
livering the first OF the replies.
The propriety Of this course was
apparent from the consideration of
the fact that every one of the en-
tentc powers and foreign ministers
who had spoken publicly on the
subject Of peace had turned to the
language of President. Wilson'S his
toric address to congress and his
other public utterances on the sub
ject, us disclosing their own con-
ceptions Of the proper basis Of
peace negotiations. And even more
potent than this consideration was
the conviction that America was
best fitted Of all nations 10 deal
what II was hoped would he the
death blow to autocracy OF the
Germanic type.
prevent premature disclosure OF
the contents Of the presidents re-
Spouse. Few members Of the cab
met were informed on the subject
before today's cabinet meeting.
Last night the document was hand
ed over to the trusted telegraphers
Of the state department to DC sent
on it's way by cable TO Ambassador.
Page in London. who was TO deliver
Il to Foreign Minister lialfuur fer
transmission to Rome. At the
same time. copies Of the communi-
cation as matter of courtesy.
were placed In the hands of diplo-
matte representatives of the En-,
tcnte powers in Washington for
their information.
Although the. Pnrc's proposal
were addressed to tho leaders OF
the nations at war. which of courS"
included President Wilson. and was
signed by the poutiff himself tho
response was signed by Secretary
Lansing. AS the latter expressly
stated that he was merely trans
hitting the presidents reply. how
ever. the method was strictly with
In tho diplomatic properties.
\ high official is authority for the
statement that tn" presidents reply
is lin line. with the allies views.