Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1917-09-05
President Unable to Accept
Kaiser's Word.
LEAVES THE ROAD OPEN
Wilson Declares America Must Con.
tinue to Fight Until 1t Is Satisfied
Peace Treaty Means More
Than SCRAP of Paper" to
Be Torn by Germany's
Rulers at Will.

must tuHtlUue 10 HSHl unlil IL Is SdtIs-
fed that peace treaty would be more
than another scrap of paper" to be
torn by Germany's rulers at will.
While the presidents note is a re-
lection of peace at this time, it leaves
the road wide open for further discus
sion and proposals.
I'VE cannot take the word of the
present rulers of Germany as guar
antee of anything that is TO endure, -
he says. And later he adds:
"We must await some new evidence
of the purposes of the great peoples
of the central empires. God grant il
may be given soon and in a way TO
restore the confidence of all peoples
everywhere in the faith of nations and
the possibility of covenanted peace.
President Wilson declares fatty
against an economic war after the war,
against annexatiOns or indemnities
other than resolutions. such as pay
ment to Belgium and the return of
Alsace-Lorraine to France.
Text of Wilson's Reply to Pope.
Aug. 81. 1917.
ITO His Holiness, Benedictus XIV,
Pope.
In acknowledgment of the commu-
nication of your holiness to the bellig-
erent peoples, dated August l, 1917,
the president of the United States re-
quests me to transmit the following
reply:
Every heart that has not been
blinded and hardened by this terrible
war must be touched by this moving
appeal of his holiness the pope, must
feel the dignity and force of the hui
name and generous motives which
prompted it, and must fervently wish
that we might take the path of peace
he so persuasively points out.
But it would be folly to take it if
il does not, in fact, lead to the goal he
proposes. Our response must be based
upon the stern facts and upon nothing
else.
1T is not a mere cessation of arms
he desires; 1t is stable and enduring
peace. This agony must not be gone
through with again. and ii must be a
matter of very sober judgment what
will insure us against 1t.
His holiness in substance proposes
that we return to the status quo ante
bellum, and that then there be a gen
eral conformation, disarmament, and a
concert of nations, based upon an ac-
ceptance of the principle of arbitra-
ton; that by similar concert free
dom of the seas be established: and
that the territorial claims of France
and Italy, the perplexing problems of
the Balkan states, and the restitution
of Poland be left to such conciliatory
adjustments as may be possible in
the new temper of such a peace, due
regard being paid to the aspirations of
the people whose political fortunes
and affiliations will be involved.
Puts Blame on the Kaiser.
ut is manifest that no part of this
program he successfully carried out
unless the restitution of the status quo
ante furnishes firm and satisfactory
basis for it.
THE object Of this war is to deliver
the free peoples of the world from the
menace and the actual power of a vast
military establishment. controlled by
an irresponsible government which,
having secretly planned TO dominate
the world. proceeded to carry the plan
out without regard either to the sa-
cred obligations of treaty or the long
established practices and lOng-cherished
principles>o of international action and
honor which chose its own time for the
war; delivered its blow fiercely and
suddenly; stopped at no barrier either
of law or of mercy; swept a whole
the blood of soldiers only, but the
blood of innocent women and children
also, and of the helpless poor: and
now stands baked but not defeated,
the enemy of fOur-fifths of the world.
This power is not the German peo-
pie 1t is the ruthless master of the
German people. 1t is no business of
ours how that great people came IN
der its control or submitted with tenn
porary zest to the domination of its
purpose; but it is our business to see
TO Ii that the history of the rest of
the world is no longer left to its ham
ding.
No ReprisaI on German People.
ITO deal with such a power by way
Of peace upon the plan proposed by his
holiness the pope would. so far as we
can see, involve a recuperation of its
strength and a renewal of its policy ;
would make it necessary 10 create q
permanent hostile combination of ma
tions against the German people. who
are its instruments; and would result
sn abandoning the newborn Russia IN
~~~~~~~~~--~~~~o~~~~~ ~~~~~~e~~~~~o~"~~>~~-~~N
Bohemia Favored by Nature.
Nature has favored Bohemia per
haps more than any other part Of Eu'
rope. Its soil is so fertile ard climate
so favorable that more than half OF
the country is cultivated and produces
richly. In its mountains almost every
useful metal and mineral, except salt
is 10 be found. II is the geographical
center of the European continent
equally distant from the Baltic. Adri-
atic. and North seas, and though in
closed nv mountains. is so easily &C