Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1917-09-28
CLEAR WAY FOR PEACE
GERMANY AND AUSTRIA READY
FOR SETTLEMENT OF WAR.
Replies to Vatican Express Hope That
Al Belllserents VIII Come to View
Pontlffs Proposal as Basis for
Negotiations.

Amsterdam-The German govern
ment, In its reply to the peace note Of
Pope Benedict, a COPY Of which has
been received here, "cherishes a live
ly desire" that the appeal may meet
with success. Emperor william. the
German note says, has been following
the efforts Of the pope toward peace
for a considerable time with high re-
spect.
The reply adds that the effort Of
the pope to pave the way to an un-
derstanding might most surely be
reckoned to have a sympathetic recep-
ton from the whole. hearted support Of
the German Emperor, since he has re
garded 1t as his principal and most
sacred task to preserve the blessings
Of peace for the German people and
the world.
The text Of the reply reads:
Herr Cardinal: Your eminence has
been good enough, together with your
letter Of Aug. 2, to transmit to the
Kaiser and King, my most gracious
master, the note Of his holiness, the
pope, in which his holiness, filled with
grief at the d~evastations Of the world
war, makes an emphatic peace appeal
to the heads Of the ~belligerent peO-
pies. The Kaiser-King has deigned to
acquaint me with your eminence's let
ter and to intrust the reply to me.
His majesty has been following for
a considerable time with high respect
and sincere gratitude his holiness eff
forts in a spirit of true impartiality
to alleviate as far as possible the suf-
ferings Of the wal and to hasten the
end of hostilities.
"The Kaiser sees in the latest step
Of his holiness fresh proof Of his noble
and humane feelings and cherishes a
lively desire that for the benefit Of
the entire world the papsl appeal may
meet with success
The effort Of Pope Benedict is to
pave the way to an understanding
amongst all peoples and might more
surely reckon on a sympathetic recep-
ton and the whole-hearted support
from his majesty, seeing that the
Kaiser, since taking over the govern
ment, has regarded it as his principal
and most sacred task to preserve the
blessings of peace for the German peo-
pie and the world.
III AAo I 1R1S1h AACAAA 49, hAA1n
at the opening of the German Reichs-
tag on June %, 1888, the Kaiser prom
!sed that his love OF the German army
and his position toward It should
never lead him into temptation to cut
short the benefits OF peace unless war
were a necessity, forced on us by an
attack on the empire or it's allies.
THE German army should safe
guard peace for us and should peace
nevertheless, be broken, IL would be
in a position to viz Il with honor.
The Kaiser has, by his acts. fulfilled
the promise he then made in twenty
six years of happy rule. despite prov
ocations and temptations.
in the crisis. which led to the pres
ent world conf%lagration, his majesty'a
efforts were up to the last moment
directed towards settling the conflict
by peaceful means. After the war had
broken out. against his wish and de
sire, the Kaiser, in conjunction witt
his high allies, was the first solemnly
to declare his readiness to enter into
peace negotiations. The German peo
pie supported his majesty in his keeT
desire for peace.
Germany sought within her ma
: tional frontier the free development
} OF her spiritual n material posses
sions, and outside the imperial terri
/, tory unhindered competition. with ma
tons enjoying equal rights and equa
esteem.
THE free play OF forces in the worlt
in peaceable wrestling with n an
) other would lead to the highest per
fecting of the noble human posses
sions. Disastrous concentrations o
.r..t. l.. A., vvaur 1911 ahgAIuNnI
, broke off all hopeful course of devel
opment and transformed Europe int
a bloody battle arena"
Amsterdam. - Peace would COM
49, tho ,ooart nronoeo1a of pom