The Washington times., 1917-08-29
NEUTRALS DETECT
. BASIS OF PEACE IN
!. REPLY TO PONTIFF
By DAVID LAWRENCE.
CONTINUED from Page One.)


any indication OF what changes or evil
dence is desired before the demo,
cratization yearncd for throughout
the world is considered an accom-
plished fact.
For one thing. there is no ultima
tum in the Presidents message such
as "the Kaiser must CO. which has
been a kind OF slogan with many
Americans recently. The Presidents
experience in drawing distinction
between a ruler and his people has
not been felicitous.
Mexican Affair n Memory.
In making war on Huerta and not
the Mexican people. the effect was to
solidify the Mcxicans for the time
being, and the dictator didn't go when
America wanted him to, but much
later on. Similarly the United States
raised the battle cry Of getting VII
Ia when il might better have con
fined itself publicly at least to the
determination of bandits in northern
Mexico. a task fuch more vital, as
has been proved, than the CAPTURE OF
q single individual.
Students OF conditions in Germany.
and there are many among the diplo-
mats here, say nothing can be gained
by making as a condition OF peace,
the abdication Of the Kaiser. Moth
ing will contribute more as a rally
ing cry for the bureaucrats in Berlin.
they say, than an opportunity to play
on the affection of the German ma
tion for its Emperor.
II am sorry" said one neutral dip
lome< today, that the President has
put so much emphasis heretofore on
the German government as distin-
guished from the German people. be-
cause no people likes to be told that
1t must change its own form of gov
eminent. There will be a revolution
1t is bound to come-but not when
you want il or when you seem to be
demanding IT. Those things come
naturally. They must come out OF
this war"
Gives Liberals AmEunitiOn.
The diplomat quoted above Is known
for his leaning toward the entente, but
he also knows internal Germany. He
agrees, however, that the point made
by the President, the lack of faith In
the present rulers" can still be used
by the liberals in GerE-any to effect
changes in the imperial government.
Indeed, Mr.. Wilson has given the lib
erals something to work with II they
peace For instance, the President de-
nounces economic leagues after the
war. 1t is as plain and outspoken
reputation of the economic war plan
ned at the Paris conference OF the en-
tente a year ago as could be made.
and presumably the allies themselves
now realize the mistake OF that con
ference and are willing under Mr..
Wilson's leadership to put II aside.
Among entente diplomats Mr.. VIII
son was applauded for the vigor in
his reply to the Pope. By showing
the German people that America
seeks no advantage and by making
It very clear that the United States
will enter into negotiations only with
q government whose covenants will
be kept, the conditions OF peace are
concentrated in a single thing-the
characterization OF Germany. How
ever much they may dislike II, say the
entente ENJOYS, the Germans will see
that peace can come in no other way,
that the shortest route to the status
quo ante or any other status is by
putting the control OF the German
government in the hands OF men and
groups Of men who are representative
of liberal thought and whose integ
Tity is well known throughout the
world. Those who know Germany
best say there are such individuals in
Germany, and that, backed by a
Reichstag which has been parlia-
mentarized. the entente would not
hesitate to negotiate peace with
them.
Roth Home Parties Applaud.
But aside from what the diplomats
said about the Presidents reply, It is
true that few things he has written
have awakened so much enthusiasm
in the Government itself. Hardly a
dissenting voice was heard. On the
contrary, Republicans and Democrats
alike thought he had handled the
question maEnificently, giving in a
most direct and convincing style the
war aims of America, the first ex-
plicit statement that the United States
will not make peace with the presen:
government OF Germany, and that as
q prerequisite even to discussion OF
terms there must be q change in the
imperial government itself.
On all sides, indeed, was Mr.. Will
sons frmness regarded as an indica-
ton OF his intention to keep America
IN the war with unrelenting energy
until the objects sought shall be &C
complished.
Germany, as from the beginning Of
her critical relations with this coun-
try. holds the key TO peace. There
will be an end Of the conflict only
when the United States feels assured
that the world is safe for democracy