Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-08-31
WILSON IS GREETED
As NEW LEADER OF
THE ENTENTE CAUSE
Presidents Reply to POpe'S
Proposal for Peace Wins
New Fame for Him in Capt.
tails of Europe

LONDON. Aug. 3e.-England was
again moved to admiration OF America
and of President Wilson today after
reading the presidents note to Pope Ben
edict. More than one newspaper hailed
the American executive as the new lead
er of the allied cause.
"At the end of three years of I'M
speakable strain and anxiety" declared
the Morning Post, lit is an inestima-
BILE service to the allies to find such
leadership as this-strong, clear-sight-
ed, misunderstanding new courage
and faith, shaming the faint-hearted and
Isilencing the perverse and disaffected."
The Chronicle pointed out that Presi-
dent Wilson had reminded the world
that America was unfettered by alli-
ances In 'subjecting the Paris resolu-
ton or the allies to unqualified condem-
nation" (This was the resolution band
ing the allies to commercial reprisals
against Germany after the war;
THE resounding proclama ton whfth
comes from the White House of the
reality of right and the reality of wrong
and of the impossibility of reconciIing
them or shading them into one another
by good natured words" the Chronicle
added, might well have issued from
the vatican, the ancient repository of
Christian verities."
man to the peace dreaming vatican, and
Il may be to other courts as WELL" the
Times summarized, adding that the note
is couched in the same terms iii which
all other statesmen of allied powers
must reply to the peace proposals"
The text of President Wilson's reply
to the pope's peace overtures is not
before us as we write. but everybody
in the United States has already read
lit by yesterday noon, and summaries
and comments from American newspa-
pers leave Us in no doubt about its
character" says the Manchester Guard
ian. After declaring that the position
of the president is clear and logical,
the newspaper gives several extracts
from Premier Lloyd Georges speech at
Glasgow last June, which it says are
much the same IN spirit as Mr.. Will
'CI.'s message to the pope, continuing:
President Wilson's policy comes very
itar to the formula no peace with the
Hohenzollerns.' but it would be unfair
aos to recognize the very narrow and
deep gulf that separates him from that
formula. The way in which he prefers
20 put his policy is that no peace can
be durable without the guarantee Of
the German people. Guarantees given
by the German government, holding the
views that il does, cannot be durable.
Mr.. Wilson has no desire to dictate
to the German people their form of
government but as a good Am erican
he has faith in the honesty and sin
cerity of the democracy. He is not con-
cerned to insist that Germany must
have forms of government like our own
but only to assert the principle that
in dealing with an autocracy like that
of Germany we must in self-defense
exact more severe guarantees than if
we were dealing, not with a clique
whose political vices have been made
notorious by the war, but with a free
people who in the mass are never dis
honorable, never cynical, never treach-
Ferrous"
The only note of difference with the
presidents doctrine was sounded in the
Northcliffe newspapers. They agreed
with every other feature of the reply
except President Wilson's "acquittal Of
he German people from any responsible
ity for the war"
The Northcliffe editorials pointed out
this was incompatible" with the fact
that the German people accepted the war
enthusiastically and have given their
support to it throughout, their repro
sentatives continually voting supplies,
and the press exulting lin the worst
atrocities"