Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-08-19
POPE'S PEACE PROPOSAL VIEWED
AS RECOGNITION THAT GERMANY 3
HAS BEEN DEFEATED IN THE WAR

papal gesture at this time might prove
aesr the for i is that
out and from within, and affected both
by Austrian desires and by the policies
OF their own Roman Catholic citizens,
the war party in Germany could still
great ambition. both in Belgium and In
southeastern Europe. That France
would at the present time make such
a surrender seems unbelievable. just
as it seems equally unbelievable that
italy would give up her claim to the
Italian city of Trieste. which fate has
assigned to an alien rule.
But il must be recognized that II
there is any question of peace by ne
gotiation now il must carry with IL
either the restoration to Germany of
the colonies which she has lost In
Africa. or a readjustment of colonial
boundaries in Africa which should
give Germany al real place in the
African sum-" because while Germany.
is in possession of French and Belgian
territory 1t is totally unlikely that she
Will consent to evacuate both without
indemnity and in addition to cede ter
ritory which was. French before 1870.
to be sure. but has been German since
1871.
Would Mean German Defeat.
Actually the papaI proposal. so far
as it is vet made public, calls for
German defeat, because it re-estab-
fishes the independence and integrity
of Serbia-the first problem raised by
the war-and the Independence and In
tegrity of Belgium, the second problem
raised. 1t means that, after all the
German sacrifice in lives and in treas
ure, Germany must find herself where
she started on the map. but with her
commercial establishments ruined all
over the world.
1t is suggested that the papai docu-
ment will propose that there shall be
no economic war after fthe military
Struggle is terminated. but. granted
that there were no tariff walls erected
against Germany, giving mutual oene-
fits to her present enemies, no agree
ment by treaty or otherwise could re-
store German financial and commercial
establishments in Great Britain, IN
France, in Italy. or in the British,
French and even the American over
seas world. The fact that the Ger
mans have used their financial and COM
mercfal establishments as basis Tor
political and military operations; the
fact that the German conduct OF the
war has aroused an enduring hatred OF
Germans and of German things. viii re-
main for long years an obstacle to the
restoration of German commerce ana
to the reconQuest of those markets IN
which German influence was so great
before the war
War idea without Profit.
Therefore the ruling party and pow
ers in Germany, or, as one might choose
to say, the ruling and dominating idea
in Germany which led to war. must
find themselves at the end unable 10
bring home a single profit for an enor-
nous expenditure and obliged 70 con-
fess not only temporary losses but 10
permanent disadvantages all over the
world.
On the other hand, there will be nec-
essarily large party In all the nations
at war which will believe that the pa
nal proposal actually, If not in purpose.
would spare Germany from tnat null
tary decision which would decfsireiy
dispose of the German policy ana the
German conception and Tor long ye1fs
| IL not for all time, put an enc 70 the
German dream of world power passo
upon military efficiency and upon the
methods of ruthlessness ana Nioience
which have been employed by germany
in the air, at sea and in the invaded
districts.
To foreshadow what will be the re-
ception of this papal proposal Is no
part of the commentator upon curren.
There is longing everywhere for
peace. There has been an immense
shrinkage in the program or the alileo
nations. even in details which were
that German adoption of the present
proposal will come promptly. ana II ~
does no one can mistake the effect thar
| II will have in the allied countries, pc
cause il will be in fact. II not In form.
| a confession of defeat and yfndfcation
| of the original purpose OF the nations
at war with Germany.
Not Impossible of Success.
Actually its reception. granted ths
restoration of Belgium and Serbia 10
unconditional and complete. must de-
pend largely upon the French and
italian attitude toward the questions
of Alsace-Lorraine and the Trentino-
II is not too much to say that II ~
far and away the most important peace
suggestion yet made, and. difncult as
is the pathway which the Pope has 70
mass it is by no means fmpossfpie tnaS
he NAV achieve his goal
In any event, we must recognize that
there is bound to be different recep-
tion for this proposal than for that OF
President Wilson many months ago ana
of the German emperor which preceded
Mr.. wilson's suggestion The desire
for peace increases with every month
of war. and with the prospect OF
fourth winter the statesmen of no ma
tion will dare to reject without dis
cussion a proposal which, however un-
satisfactory in detail. yet necessarily
begins with the assertion OF German
|