Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-08-16
GERMANY TO ACCEPT
BURDEN OF CONTINUING THE
WAR TO BE UPON THE ALLIES
WILSON is EXPECTED TO
FOLLOW WISHES OF ALLIES.
BY JOHN EDWIN NEVIN,
International News Service Staff
Correspondent.

Washington, Aug. 16-Definite ac-
tion by the Entente on Pope BeDe-
diets peace plan will wait on Presi-
dent Wilson. Great Britain and
France, the two powers most deeply
interested, already have asked the
views of the United States. They
have been told the President will re-
tain an open mind until he has oppOr-
tunity TO carefully study the entire
proposition as put forward by the
Vatican
Up to the present the President has
before him only the unofficial cory
of the suggestions The official copy
will reach him today thru the Brit.
ish embassy or from Ambassador
Page, who will receive 1t from the
foreign office in London. It is to bs
made the subject OF general cabi.
net conference. Until then no official
statement will be forthcoming.
1t Is admitted that, so far as the
President is concerned, all specua.
ton as to his intended decision must
be without foundation He has net
yet taken the subject up with any Of
his advisors. A full copy Of the pro-
posais. as made public In London,
was in his hands last night Seclud-
ed in his study he carefully examined
it. Not the slightest information
reached the outside world regarding
his conclusions.
Members of the cabinet and others
who are close to the administration,
have taken the position that the pro-
posals must be rejected as they are
not written. II is pointed out that
the United States. thru the public
statements OF the President and the
declarations by him which received
the approval Of Congress. made it
| plain that Germany was the aggressOr
/ dHu lOINcu tIIt tOllllltL WIFI tHG
United States. No longer ago than
June IA the President emphatically
stated, in effect, that Germany must
make reparaton for ravished Belgium
and. by inference, for Servia. Rou-
mania and Montenegro. And all along
officials declare the President insisted
that the German military caste must
| so before lasting peace can come.
With sentiment general that the
reply to the present plan must be
unfavorable, officials are scrutinizing
the situation very carefully to deter
mine whether the Joint replies OF the
cOmbatants will at least open the way
for meditation There seems to be a
general opinion in official diplomatic
quarters that Germany and Austro-
Hungary in their reply will accept the
proposals Of the vatican as a medium
of negotiation. Whether there Is real
authority for such a belief no high of
fetal cares to say 1t is positively
| known. however, that certain diplO-
matte sources close to Germany have
received a broad intimation from their
home governments that Germany will
agree to a peace conference on the
lines set down by the Pope in order
to pass the burden of rejection along
to her enemies. There is little doubt
here that Austria really inspired the
offer so that position also would be
one of acceptance.
London. Aug l6.--That negative
reply will be the allies response &c
the peace proposals Of Pope Bene
dict XV. has been made almost Ger
tain by developments of the past "a
hours
Tho belief that the proffer was IN
spred by the central powers has
grown rather than diminished since
+, the proposals were made to tho bel
ligerent nations.
The Chronicle, IN commenting up
on the Papal offer says:
I'VE must all agree with the Pop'
:, that il the risk OF war we're dehnitel.
: eliminated from the world In the fu
u ture, territorial and other question:
. could be approached in a very differ
ent spirit
What would II matter whethe
u Germany recovered her oversee nava
y bases or Austris-Hungary k mi he
s. one.sided Italian frontier II bo.h Gel
" many and Austria were certain neyc
u again to take part In war.
But there Is one vital point whicl
His Holiness overlooks. This ahol
q ton of war will depend not only OF