The Mena weekly star., 1917-09-06
Characterised Is Last Farewell to the iutocracy of the World" It Points the Way to Honorable
 Peacc-The Text of the Note.

in fair and honorable manner
 Wilson's Course Approved.
 Telegrams from all parts of the country have begun to pour into the White House approving President Wilson's reply to Pope Benedicts peace proposals.
 The text of the note follows:
 Text of the Note.
 August 27 1917.
 "ro His Holiness,
 Benedict XV,
 Pope:
 In acknowledgement of the com munication of your holiness to the belligerent peoples dated August 1, 1917, the president of the United States requests me to transmit the following reply:
 Every heart that has not been blinded and hardened by this terri ble war must be touched by this moving appeal of his holiness, the pope, must feel the dignity and force of the humane and generous motives which prompted it and must fervently wish that we might take the path of peace he so persuasively points out But it would be folly to take it if it does not lead to the goal lie proposes. Our response must be based upon stern facts and upon nothing else. It is not a mere cessation of arms he desires; it is a stable and enduring peace. This agony must not be gone through with again and it must be a matter of very sober judgment that will in- sure us against it.
 His holiness in substance pro- poses that we return to the status quo ante bellum and that there be a general conformation, disarmament and a concert of nations based upon acceptance of the principle of ar bitration; that hy similar concert freedom of the seas be established, and that the territorial claims of France and Italy, the perplexing problems of the Balkan states and the restitution of Poland be left to such conciliatory adjustments as may be possible in the new temper of such a peace, due regard being paid to the aspirations of the peo- pies whose political fortunes and affiliations will be involved
 Enemy of Most of World.
 Tt is manifest that no part of this program can be successfully carried out unless the restitution of the status quo ante furnishes a firm and satisfactory basis for it. The ob- ject of this war is to deliver the free peoples of the world from the menace and the actual power of a vast military establishment con- troled by an irresponsible govern ment. which, having secretly planned to dominate the world, pro- ceeded to carry the plan out with out regard either to the sacred ob- legations of treaty or the long es- tablished practices and long cher ished principles of international action and honor; which chose it's own time for the war; delivered it's blow fiercely and suddenly; stopped at no barrier of law or of mercy: swept a whole continent with the tide of blood the blood of sol- diers only. but the blood of innocent women and children also, and of the helpless poor: and now stands baked but not defeated, the enemy of four-iifths of the world. The power is not the German people It is the ruthless master of the Ger man people. It is no business of ours how that great people came un- der its control or submitted with temporary zest to the domination of it's purpose; but it is our business to see to t that the history of the rest of the world is no longer left to it's l 
 "To deal with such a power by l way of peace upon the plan pro- posed by his holiness the pope, | would so far as we can sec involve l a recuperation of it's strength and a | renewal of it's policy; would make it to create permanent hostile combination of nations | against the German people. who are it's instruments; and would result in | the new born Russia tol the intrigue. the manifold subtle in- terference and the certain counter revolution which would be attempt i ed by all the malign influences to which the German government has | of late accustomed the world Can l peace be based upon a restitution of | it's power or upon any word or hon. | or it could pledge in treaty of set tlement and accommodation?
 Responsible statesmen must now everywhere see, if they never saw before. that no peace can rest se- curely upon political or economic | meant to benefit some nations and cripple or embarrass | others upon vindictive action of any | sort or any kind or revenge or de- injury. The American peo- | pie have suffered intoIerable wrongs | at the hands of the imperial German but they desire no re- | prisal upon German people. who have themselves suffered ali things i in this war, which they did not choose. They believe that peace l should rest upon the rights of peo- Dles. not the rights of governments- the rights of peoples of great or small weak vT powerffii--theiT i equal right to freedom and security | and self-government and to partici- | nation mon fair terms in the ecO-