Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-08-30

Washington, Aug. 29.-President
Wilson rejected the peace proposals
of Pope Benedict XIV at this time.
In note sent the pope, he de-
clared. that the United States must
continue to fight until it is satisfied
that a peace treaty would be more
than another 'scrap of paper" to be
torn by Germanys rulers at will.
While the presidents note is re-
lection of peace at this time, it leaves
the road wide open for further discus
sion and proposals.
"We cannot take the word of the
present rulers of Germany as a guar
antee of anything that is to endure"
he says. And later he adds:
''We must await some new evidence
of the purposes of the great peoples
Of the central empires. God grant it
may be given soon and in a way to
restore the confidence of all peoples
everywhere In the faith of nations and
the possibility of covenanted peace"
President Wilson declares fatty
against an economic war after the war,
against anneXatiOns or indemnities
other than restitutfons, such as pay
ment to Belgium and the return of
Alsace-LOrraine to France.
The text OF his note in part follows ::
'The purposes of the United States
In this war are known to the whole
w0rld-tO every people to whom the
truth has been permitted to come.
They do not need to be stated again.
We seek no material advantage Of any
kind We believe that the int 5ierAble
wrongs done in this war by the furi-
Gus and brutal power of the imperial
German government ought to be re-
paired. but not at the expense of the
sovereignty of any people-rather a
yindicatiOn of the sovereignty both of
those that are weak and of those that
are strong. Punitive damages, the
ACKNOWLEDGMENT of empire, the estab-
lishment of selfish and exclusive
leagues we deem ineXpedient and in
basis for peace of any kind, least
OF all for an enduring peace. That
must be based upon justice and fair
ness and the common rights of man
kind. ~
I'VE cannot take the word of the
present rulers of Germany as a guar
antee of anything that Is to endure,
unless explicitly supported by such
conclusive evidence of the will and
purpose of the German people them
selves as the other peoples of the
world would be justified in accepting.
Without such guarantees treaties of
settlement. agreements for disarma-
ment, covenants to set up arbitra-
tion In the place of force, territorial
adjustments, recOnstitutiOns of small
nations, If made with the German gov
ernment, no man, no nation could now
depend on. We must await some
new evidence Of the purposes of the
great peoples of the central powers.
God grant ii may be given soon and
In a way to restore the confidence of
all people everywhere In the faith of
nations.
ITO deal with such a power by
way Of peace upon the plan proposed
by his holiness, the pope, would, so
far as we can see, involve a recuper-
alton of its strength and renewal of
Its policy; would make it necessary
TO create a permanent hostile combi-
nation of nations against the German
people, who are its Instruments; and
would result in abandoning the new
born Russia TO the intrigues, the man
fold subtle interference, and the GER
tain counter-revoluttOn which would
be attempted by all the malign intlu-
ences TO which the German govern
ment has of late accustomed the world.
Can peace be based upon q restitution
Of Its power or upon any word of
honor 1t could pledge in q treaty of
settlement and accommodation?
Irresponsible statesmen must now
everywhere see, If they never saw be-
fore, that no peace can rest securely
upon political or economic restrictions
meant TO benefit some nations and
cripple or embarass others, upon vim
dicative action of any sort, or any
AiIlu Oh revenge oT ueitbetdte Injury
The American people have suffered In
tolerable wrongs at the hands of the
imperial German government. but
they desire no reprisal upon the Ger
man people, who have themselves suf
fered all things in this war, which
they did not choose. They believe
that peace should rest upon the right:
of peoples. not upon the rights of gov
ernments-the rights Of peoples grea
or small, weak or powerful-thefl
equal right to freedom and securit.
and self-government and to partici
patton upon fair terms in the econom
ic opportunities of the world-th'
German people of course included, i
they will accept equality and not seel
domination.
"His holiness in substance propose
that we return to the status quo ant
bsuum. and that then there be q gen