The sun., 1917-08-16

| ton efforts to place them In the role Of
aggressors responsible for continuance
OF the struggle.
Il is fully realised here that Germany
will seek nj once TO proclaim a desire
for peace and TO advocate conference
among the Powers along the lines sug-
| gcsted last December. For the beneft Of
public opinion In Germany and particu.
larry In Russia and Austria, the German
Government, It Is believed. will reiterate
! all the vague platitudes about peace and
mutual understanding among nations.
seeking thereby to harmonize German
peace propaganda with the Popes ideas
/ Il 10 fully expected Germany will look
upon the Pope's message as a vindication
for uernanys former peace talk. even
| though the Wilhelmstrasse may not rel
ish the idea Of restoring Belgium. Serbia
! and Rumania and leaving Aisace-Lor-
raine to arbitration.
The fact that .he Pope's proposal in
cluded this suggestion relative to Alsace-
Lorraine has attracted widespread atten-
tion here and in Entente capitals In view
Of the theory entertained that Germany
and Austria knew the nature OF these
proposals In advance.
=
II lends color to the belief that Ger
many may be in much more desperate
need of peare than generally Ina gined.
The suggestion concerning Alsace-Lor-
| raine 10 one which the German Govern.
ment admittedly could not make without
| rousing. a storm OF protest throughout
the odnan empire. Coming from tho
Pope II can he entertained by Germany
In pursuance to policy OF considering
peace proposals In whatever form they
are presented. II II not improba BILE the
German Government has sanctioned this
suggestion while preparing outwardly to
express the deepest Indignation for the
beneft Of home consumption.
This and other phases of the situation
have greatly magnhed the Importance Of
| the Pope's proposals. The hrst flush
| idea OF resentment Is giving way TO be-
lief that the real significance OF the move
is not apparent on the surface. Entente
diplomats whose Views are always care
I fully weighed said to-day that two all
| important factors were becoming in
| creasingly evident They are. first. that
the Pope knows something" which has
prompted him to make the move at this
time. and second. that the Pope has the
conviction his proposals are not going
to be barren OF results.
| 1t Is pointed out that the Vatican
diplomatic advisers are the most skilled
diplomatiets In Europe. They have long
had the reputation Of knowing more
than others as to what is going on In
| the various foreign chancelleries. At
| the same time II Is emphasized that the
| prestige OF the Vatican would suffer In
more ways than one II the present effort
proved merely a shot IN the air The
belief therefore Is expressed that the
Popes action IN prompted by mature
considerations backed rs knowledge
| which is not now available to the En-
tente.
The close relationship Of the Vatican
and the Austrian court only adds i'm
| portance to the message, II Is held. The
! reasons which have prompted the Pope
to act are regarded s having undoubt-
ediy come from the Central Powers
using the Austrian court a. an inter-
! medary.
The first impression. that the Pope
| may have been persuaded to make the
| peace move simply to help the Austrian
cause or to aid German diplomacy or
sustain autocracy. does not hnd favor
here Such q plan would be certain to
| fall Of Its own weight sooner or later
and eliminate the Vatican's influence
either as a peace factor or as help
to Catholic Austria In the future. The
| idea Of the Pope deliberately seeking
to bolster up German war man9uvres
in the guise OF peace propaganda or
| endeavorng to help Germany SOW dis
sensions in the ranks Of the Entente
, nations does not ht the conceptions
which diplomats here have OF the Vati-
cans sincerity OF purpose or well bal
anced understanding OF international
Affairs.
GePmany's Plight.
The inclination here therefore is to
regard two contingencies only In connec-
tion with the Popes message. Either
Austria has succeeded In misleading the
Vatican into sincerely believing that the
Entente nations are ready to talk peace
or Germany has given tho signal to the
Vatican to act as mediator for Whatever
terms the Entente Is willing to make.
Reports reaching the State Depart
ment intermittently for some weeks have
indicated that Germany's plight may be
much moro severe than appears on the
surface. Efforts for peace lend addi-
tional color to this belief. It is not re-
gardsd az improbable that Germany ID
30 near the end OF her rope that more
and more desperate peace Efforts must
be made.
The German Government is not In .
position to make them without at once
She may therefore have authorised Aus
tria to act on her behalf. In these cir
cumstances the Popes action would not
only be Justified but would have promise
Of almost certain results. 1t would In
deed be a peace move with an ultimate
guarantee Of success. for II would amount
to obtaining for Germany such terms al
the United States and the Entente were
willing to give by way of demanding
reparation for wrong done and guar>ntee
against repetition.
ono status quo Peace"
But even with Germany in severe
straits II is not believed here that the
objects OF democracy can be successfully
achieved without continuance Of the
maximum war pressure. supported by
every EFFORT on the part OF the United
States and the Entente. These enorti
will be strengthened and accelerated
with tho realization that military autoc.
facy is beginning to weaken under the
pressure. There will be no thought OF
relinQuishing these sustained efforts
until results are guaranteed and the OBJ
jects Of the United States and the En-
tente made secure.
The suggestion that the status quo
ante be resumed probably will be re-
jected by the President on the ground
that all the sacrifices Of humanity will
have been In vain II reparation Ia moi
made for wrong done and effective guar.
antees established against repetition
The President is believed now to bt
, firmly opposed to any peace on the basis
OF the status quo.
While his peace without victory
speech to the Senate may have Eiver