The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-09-22
CENTRAL POWERS
REPLY TO POPE
Accept His Offer as the Basis
for the Beginning of
Peace Negotiations
AUSTRIA'S ANSWER
THE MORE IMPORTANT
Wants Peace, with Freedom of the Seas
Disarmament, and Arbitration-Kai
ser Expresses Lively Desire for Vati
cans Success.

ser Expresses Lively Desire for Vati-
cans Success.
AMSTERDAM, Sept %. - The texts
of the German and Austrian replies to
Pope Benedict s peace proposals were
received here yesterday.
Both notes welcome the Pope's in
itiative and accept his offer as a basis |
for the beginning Of negotiations
while avoiding any suggestion of def :
mite concessions on points wnieh have !
been considered the principal obstacles
to peace.
The Berlin reply saws that Germany
- cherishes a lively desire that the
.papal appeal may meet with success.
Emperor William, the German note
saws, has been following the efforts Of
the Pope toward peace for consider
able time with high respect.
Austria 5 note SAYS that peace would
come from the proposals OF Pope Ben
edict If the belligerent nations would
, enter into negotiations in the sense Of
the rontifT's suggestions. Emperor
Charles sees in the Pope 5 plan a suit
able basis for initiating negotiations
: toward a Just and lasting peace, and
expresses the hope that the nations op
posing his own may be animated by the
! same ideas
Austria received the Pontifr's note
: with thankful heart, the note says,
! and the hope is expressed that the
: Vatican 5 efforts may lead TO the realiz-
! alton Of Emperor Charles 5 desire for
an honorable peace for all parties.
: Freedom of the seas is one of the
e peace hopes Of Emperor Charles in
+ order thar heavy material burdens may
2 be taken from the nations Of the earth
n and new sources of prosperity opened
+ to them.
The German reply to Pope Benedict 5
g peace proposal declares tina, SPECIAL
Il measures. taken by the government in
= closest contact with representatives of
tba German people to discuss answering
L the questions raised proves earnestly
it deires to find a practical basis for n
just, and lasting peace. The rely says
that the imperial government greets
with special sympathy the leading idea
J. in which His Holiness clearly expresses
the conviction that in the future ma
tcrial power of arms must be super
e scded hv the moral power of rights.
!" Continuing, the reply says that Ger
g many fully recognizes with His Holi
ness the high peace producing effect Of
le arbitration TO decide international diff
ferenccs of opinion and III this re
: spect Germany is ready to support cv
cry proposal compatible with the vita
interests Of the German empire ant
people.
: After declaring that Emperor vii
| liam s efforts always have been to pre-
| serve peace for the German empir,
| the note SAYS in part:
| . In the crisis which lead to the pres
| ent world confagraton his majestv
| efforts were up TO the last moment di
! rccted toward settling the conflict h
| peaceful means After the war ha
| broken out against his wish and desir,
| the Kaiser in high con junction with hi
| allies, was the first solemnlv to declar
| his readiness to enter into peace negt
tlatioEs. The German people suEporte
| his majesty in his keen desire for peac
| Appreciating the Importance of Fl
i Holiness declaration the imperial 90,
I ernmcnt has not failed to submit til
4 suggestions contained therein to ca
nest sclupulous examination.
III Special measures which the covers
II ment has taken in closest contact wit
l representatives. of the German peon
4 for discussing and answering the que
i tions raised, prove how earnest it d
Sires to find practical basis for
lust and lasting peace. We share Fl
Holiness view that definite rules and
:" certain safeguard for a simultaneous al
reciprocal limitation of armament
' land, on sea and in the air as well
for the new freedom Of the communf
W. and high seas. are the things that
ny the future should prevail in internatio
-. al relations. The task would then
itself arise to decide international d
fercnces of opinion, not by the use
armed forces, but by practical met
odS, especially by arbitration, who
high peace-producing effects we. tooet
.,;o. er with His Holiness, fully recoeni
~ The imperial government will
TINS respect support every proposal 60
. patibe with the vital interests of [
German empire and people. No peol
have more reason than the German d.
pie to wish that instead of univer
,ting hatred and hattie = concilia+or,, g
NO. }ternal spirit should prevail between
'."o. tions. Only on this condition can
at lasting peace he founded which wo,
promote an intellectual rapproc
egu- ment and return economic prosper
dge, to human society,"
sary The document is signed by Impel