The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-08-17

al, that we have done to attain this very noble aim
 OTHER NOTES RECALLED
 Toward the end of the first year of the war we addressed to the nations in conflict most lovely exhortations, and
 moreover we indicated the part to be fol- lowed to arrive at a stable and honor able peace for all. Unfortunately, our appeal was not heard, and the war con tnued desperately for another two years with all it's horrors. It became even
 more cruel and extended over the earth, over the sea and in the air, and one saw
 desolation and death descend upon the cities without defense, upon peaceful vil- lages and on their innocent population and now no one can imagine how the sufferings of all would be increased and aggravated if other months, or worse still. other years are about to be added to this sanguinary triennium. "In this civilized world to be noth- ing more than a field of death? And
 Europe so glorious and so flourishing. is 1t going as if stricken by a universal
 madness to run to the abyss and to lend it's hand to its own suicide?
 SUGGESTIONS DENIED "In such a terrible situation as In the presence of menace so serious, we who have no particular political air, who do not listen to suggestions or to the i interests of any of the belligerent par | ties, but are solely compelled by sen | tinent of our supreme duty as the com
 mon father of the faithful, by the solici-
 tation of our children who implore our | intervention and our pacifying work. Through the voice even of humanity and of reason we once more emit the  appeal to those who hold in their hand the destinies of nations. But in order no longer to speak in general terms as the circumstances had counselled us in the past we now wish to make a more con- crete and practical proposal and to in vita the governments of the beligerents to come to an agreement upon the fol- lowing points, which seem to be a basis of just and durable peace, leaving to the m the task of analyzing, and complet- ing them:
 First of all. the fundamental points
 must be that the material force of arms be substituted by the moral force of right from which shall arise a fair
 agreement by all for the simultaneous
 and reciprocal diminution of armaments,
 acct rding to the rules and guarantees to be established, in measure necessary
 and sufficient for the maintenance of PubilG Oluci III tdCH Sldle. Then Tn the substitution for armies the institution ot arbitration with it's high pacifying func- ton, according to the rules to be laid down and the penalties to be imposed on a state which would refuse either to submit national question to arbitra- tion, or to accept its decision
 SUPREMACY OF RIGHT "Once the supremacy of right has thus been established, all obstacles to the means of communication of the peoples would disappear by assuring, by rules to be fixed later. the true liberty and community of the seas, which would con tribute to the numerous causes of con- flict and would also open to all new sources of prosperity and progress ''As to the damages to be repaired and as to the war expenses. we see no other means of solving the question than by submitting as a general principle the complete and reciprocal conformation which would be justified moreover by the immense benefit to be derived from disar- mament so much so that no one will understand the continuation of sini- lar carnage, solely for reasons of an eco- homie order.
 If, for certain cases there exist par ticular reasons. they would be deliberated upon which justice and equity, but these pacific agreements with the immense ad- VantageS To De uerlVed from them, are possible without a reciprocal restitution of the territory at present occupied PART OF GERMANY Consequently on tn epart of Germany the complete evacuation of Belgium with the guarantee of her full political, mili- tary and economic independence to- ward it.
 The evacuation of French territory. On the part of other beiligerent parties, similar restitution~of the German colo nes.
 "As regards the territorial questions, as, for example those which have arisen between Italy and Austria, and between
 Germany and France, there is reason to
 hope that in consideration of the immense
 advantages of a durable peace with dis
 armament, the parties in conflict would
 wish to examine them with conciliatory
 disposition, taking into consideration as
 we have said formerly the aspirations of
 the peoples and the special interests, and
 of the general welfare of the great
 human society.
 ARMENIA AND BALKANS
 "The same spirit of equity and justice
 ought to be followed in the examination
 of other territorial and political ques-
 tions. notably those related to Armenia
 and the Balkan states, and territories
 making a part of the ancient Kingdom