New Britain herald., 1917-08-15
POPE CONSISTENT
 WORKER OF PEACE
Since Elevation in 1914 Has Done
 All in Power

 Pope Benedict XIV has worked stead- fly and earnestly for peace. lie has seized upon every opportune occasion for appeals to the nation and to the clergy and individual communica tions with rulers
 On the day of his election he spoke upon lone frail brain'' and expressed his horror of the conflict and his hope for peace. A week later, four days after he had assumed the burden in earnest, pastoral letter from him, in the form of an encyclical to the epls- copacy of the world was published i'll Rome.
 In it rulers were exhorted to renecI upon the normal sorrow and suffering of mortal life, to put aside dissensiohs and "to enter into a council Of peace with all speed. Although the cable ana wireless had carried the theme ana even quotations from the encycncai to the four corners of the earth, the Pope issued the encyclical formally on November 16, and again the message of peace was sent broadcast from the Vatican.
 It fell on stony ground, however, and Benedict concentrated his efforts on obtaining Christmas truce which in itself might prove a long step toward peace After indirect an- nouncements of his purpose in Rome on December 8, the Pope made public through Vatican authorities on De- cember 12 the fact that the plan was failing lowing to the opposition of a certain power"
 Reports were current that both Turkey and Russia had refused to ac- quiesce. It was said by the German Official Press Bureau that Germany approved qf the idea.
 Message to Lay Down Arms.
 Nothing came of the thin1y yelled though anonymous rebuke from the Vatican and on the anniversary of the eve when celestial voices sounded over the plains of Palestine the peace of peace on earth; good will to men, Pope Benedict XIV granted an audi ence in which he said: "Tell them this
  Lay down your arms"
 Along hundreds of miles of battle front huge guns thundered through the night the answer to this dramatic and personal appeal.
 The Pope took up his difficult task again on January IS, 1915, decreeing that on February7 clerics and laymen of every Catholic church in European lands should unite in services and prayers for the restoration of peace. March 21 was set as the day when similar services should be held in all other parts of the earth.
 The first anniversary of the out break of the war was the next occa- sion which presented itself. On July 2s, 1915, the Pope. in recognition of that anniversary, issued a peace ap- peal to the world and to the rulers of it. Blessed be he who first extends the olive branch,'' he said, "and ten- ders his hand to the enemy in offer ing his reasonable conditions of peace."
 Early in March, 1916, the pontiff re- iterated his cry for peace. "Each belligerent should clearly state his de- sires," he said, but should be ready IO >AlldAc HcCcSSdTy SdCIl1CeS or pr1Q0 and particular interests
 Appeals to nations and to individual rulers were interspersed with the broader efforts of the Vatican. On October 4, 1914, the name day of the late Francis Joseph of Austria Hun gary, the Pope wrote to that ruler urging him to use his influence to shorten the war. On February 21, 1915, it was learned that he had sounded the Kaiser as to the terms on which he would make peace, and it was said that the Pope had the as- sistance of Francis Joseph in this move.
 Solicitation Aug. 1s, 1915. Dispatches from Petrograd on April 16, 1915, told of peace suggestions | that had come from the Pope at the l instigation of private persons in Aus | tria-Hungary." When the eighty l fifth birthday of Francis Joseph was | celebrated on August IS, 1915, one 1 of the messages received by the em- | peror was from the Pope, renewing l his solicitation for an early peace The following Christmas the Pon- tiff repeated his efforts. sending an 1 exhortation by cable to the United
 States for 8 general prayer for peace 1 and permitting the publication of his discussion of peace problems with 1 the cardinals.
 Early in May, 1916, Monsignor | Bonzano, Papal Delegate, delivered to 1 President Wilson message from the l Pope which intimated that this na- 1 ton might volunteer to aid in re- 1 storing peace to Europe. The mes- l sage came at a diplomatic crisis with l Germany, and the president in his l reply ignored the Papal hints. An other message from the Vatican, ex. ] pressing approval of the president pace note, was delivered on January 1 16 of this year.
 1 While these more prominent en. deavors were being made, the Pope l rao1,a1. laSt orport1 rait.z ho1ua1zo,