The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1917-08-30
POpE'S PEACE OFFER is
History of Rest of World Must
Not BE Left TO
Prussianism

President Wilson has rejected tn
pope's peace proposals. In not
dispatched Monday last and made pub
lie here Tuesday night, the presiden
says that, while every heart not blind
ed and hardened by the terrible wa
must be touched by the moving appea
of his holiness, it would be folly {,
take the path Of peace he points GU
if it does not in fact lead to the goa
he proposes. To deal with such 0
power as the present rulers Of Ger.
many upon Pope Benedict's plan, de-
clares the president, would involve a
recuperation of the strength and re-
newai of the world domination of that
power, now baked but not defeated,
after sweeping a continent with the
blood of innocent women and child
rem and the helpless poor as well as
of soldiers Permanent peace must
be based upon the faith of all the
peoples and upon justice and fairness
and the common rights of mankind,
he adds, and eve cannot take the word
of the present rulers Of Germany as a
guarantee of anything that is to en-
dure, unless explicitly supported by
such conclusive evidence of the will
and purpose Of the German people
themselves as the other peoples of |
the world would be justified in ac-
cepting."
The text Of the note to the pope
follows
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 a path of peace
he SO persuasively points out But it
would be folly to take it if it does
not in fact lead to the goal he pro-
poses. Our response must be based
upon the stern facts and upon nothing
else. Ii is not mere cessation of
arms he desires; it is a stable and
enduring peace. This agony must not
De gone through with again, and it
must be matter of very sober
Judgment what will insure us against
t.
His holiness, in substance, pro-
'oses that we return to the status quo
nte bellum and that then there be
eneral conformation, disarmament
nd a concert of nations, based upon
n acceptance of the principle of arbi-
-ation; and that the territorial claims
France and Italy, the perplexing
roblems of the Balkan states and
he restitution Of Poland be left to
ich conciiatory adjustments as may
, possible in the new temper of such
,aee, due regard being paid to the
pirations of the peoples whose poll
,al fortunes and affiliations will be
volved.
at is manifest that no part of
is program can be successfully car
ed out unless the restitution of the
atus quo ante furnishes firm and
tisfactory basis for it. The object
this war is to deliver the free peo-
IS of the world from the menace
d the actual power Of vast mill
ry establishment controlled by an
government which, hav-
: secretly planned to dominate the
rid, proceeded TO carry the plan
thout regard either to the sacred
legations of treaty or the long es-
'lished practices and long cherish
principles of international action
honor; which chose its own time
the war; delivered its blows fierce
and suddenly; stopped at no bar
either of law or of mercy; swept
whole continent within the tide of
od-not the blood of soldiers only,
the blood of innocent women and
dren also, and Of the helpless poor;
now stands baked but not de-
ted, the enemy of four-fifths of
world.
This power is not the German peo-
II is no business of ours how
great people came under its con-
or submitted with temporary
TO the domination of its pur-
:; but it is our business to see to
nat the history of the rest of the
Id is no longer left to its hand
70 deal with such power by way
'eace upon the plan proposed by
holiness, the pope, would, so far
We can see, involve a recuperation l.
IS strength and renewal of its
y; would make it necessary to hafor
tie hostile combination against l., ur
German people, who are its in t;ons
ments; and would result in aband- and
g the newborn Russia to the in v;nd;
40 'ile i"apAoio subtle inter1er- kind
, and the certain counter-revo- "Tl
n which would be attempted by ;,tole