Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-09-01
PRESS IN GERMANY
HITS REPLY TO POPE
Comments UnfavorabIy on the
Presidents Answer to
Peace Proposals.
CRITICISM IN HOLLAND
BY the Associated Press.

| By the Associated Press.
| AMSTERDAM. September l.-Presi-
dent Wilson's reference, in his reply
to Pope Benedict's peace proposals. to
the German autocracy as distinct from
the German people is commented upon
unfavorably by the German press. The
Tageblatt of Berlin says:
| president Wilson speaks of the
democratization of Germany. which we
also desire, but it is an internal ques
| tion, and one we consider forbidden
territory for foreigners as a condition
| of peace"
The Lokal Anzeiger says: The whole
| fallacy of President Wilson's argument
is clear from the sentence in regard
to the freedom of nations. which are
| themselves to decide their own fate.
President Wilson will not give US free
dom to decide for ourselves. but would
take it from US"
Will Make Answer Clearer.
The Morgenpost says: The German
people will not fail to return the an
swer which already has been made
once by the president of the reichstag.
with the unanimous accord of the mem
bers of parliament, which is elected
on the basis of the most liberal fran
chise in the world. This time. however.
the answer will be clearer, much
clearer"
The vossische Zeitung says: Prob
ably President Wilson does not know
anything about the declarations Of Gen.
soukhomlinor tformer Russian min
lister of war, now on trial for treason)
and of Gen. Januschkevitch (former
chief of the imperial general staff of
Russia), concerning the real proceed
ings which led to the outbreak of the
war. Otherwise he would have changed
his tactics"
The full text of President Wilson's
reply to the Pope was reproduced with
out comment in the Friday noon edi-
ton OF the Koelnische Zeitung.
subscribes to Note in Main.
The Catholic Tijd says that while
President Wilson in his reply to the
Pope condemns the imperial German
government, he takes care not to reject
the fundamental proposals of the papal
In the main. The Pope's proposals are
| still alive. and good will on both sides
Will more and more associate itself
with them. In the long run, the paper
concludes, the belligerent peoples must
meet on the basis now accepted condi-
tfonaliy even by President wilson
President Wilson was anxious on
TIL this pesss occasion to be n@on-eompittai" on says
yes to the papal note that would have
meant that he was taking leave of am
bitious plans of his own, while If he
had said no he would have unveiled
openly his activity as a prolonger of
the war. and would have angered the
friends Of peace in the United States,
who constitute majority of his elect
ors. He finds good way out of this
| Quandarv af he
Germany and by rejecting every peace
| treaty which does not contain the Ger
man peoples guarantee"
The Boersen Zeitung thinks the Ger
man people will not permit themselves
to be driven into a dangerous interna,
conflict by their enemies, adding:
This Is the object of the entente,
which sees in the weakening of our in
ternal front the only prospect of vic
tory. This hope will be wholly disap-
To Answer With the Sword.
ROTTERDAM, August s1-The Koel-
nische Volks Zeitung. which prints
brief summary from an Italian source
of President Wilson's reply to the Pope.
accompanied by some English and
American comment, says:
ITO such impudent talk one does NOT
answer with self-defendng attempts
at justification. but with the sword
No Nearer Wars End.
THE HAGUE. September 1.-Two
leading organs of Hollands diplomatic
capital agree that President Wilson's
answer to the Pope's peace proposals
does not bring nearer a cessation of hos
tllities. The Nieuwe Courant describes
the answer as a fresh war declaration
clothed In pacific garb and an invita-
tion to the German people to prove
their desire for peace by rising in re-
volt 1t is not clear what form of new
evidence President Wilson DESIRES" the
newspaper complains in citing the lat
ter part of the note, for, judging from
the text, even the most favorable peace
terms would find no acceptance if they
did not emanate from a government an.
pointed by parliament"
The Nieuwe Courant. however sees
a bright spot in the Presidents assur-
ance that the aims of the United States
are unchanged and especially rejoices
1 in his rejection of an economic war
The Vaderland heads its comment
with the title Wilson's answer is not
| made for Europe" and says it can only
| truly and fully satisfy the Russian
| left no choice but to kick out their
governments" This, the newspaper
| declares. reveals a surprising lack of
| understanding on the Presidents part
| the strength of the inter-growth Of
| the peoples and the dynasties He views
| the European states as he does the
| states OF the American Union. and only
| seems to have the most superficial no
| tions of the intricacies of the European
/! problems. the Vaderland asserts and
! its conclusion is:
This strange document breathes an
atmosphere not of Europe and if we
| must wait until it permeates here
| Europe will have to suffer much longer
| under a terrible war burden"
/
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