American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-08-31


in Their RulerS-Peace Must Be
Based on Something More Substan-
tial Than Promises Which Can Be
Broken as Readily as Made.
President Wilson has rejected the
popes peace proposals.
In a note dispatched Monday and
made public Tuesday night, the presi-
dent says that, while every heart not
blinded and hardened by the terrible
war must be touched by the moving
appeal of his holiness, it would be
folly to take the path of peace he
points out if it does not in fact lead
to the goal he proposes.
To deal with such a power as the
present rulers of Germany upon Pope
Benedicts plan, declares the president,
would involve a recuperation of the
strength and renewal of the world
domination of that power, now baked
but not defeated. after sweeping a
continent with the blood of innocent
women and children and the helpless
poor as well as of soldiers.
Permanent peace must be based up
on the faith of all the peoples and up
on justice and fairness and the COM
I'VE cannot take the word of the pres
ent rulers of Germany as a guarantee
of anything that is to endure, unless
explicitly supported by such conclu-
sive evidence of the will and purpose
of the German people themselves as
the other peoples of the world would
be justified in accepting"
The text of the note follows:
ITrsIs
Pope:
In acknowledgment of the commu-
nication of Your Holiness to the bel
igerent peoples, dated August !, 1917,
the president of the United States re-
quests me TO transmit the following
reply:
Every heart that has not been
blinded and hardened by this terrible
war must be touched by this moving
appeal of his holiness, the pope. must
feel the dignity and force of the hu-
name and generous motives which
prompted it and must fervently wish
that we might take the path of peace
he so persuasively points out. But il
would be folly to take it if it does not
IN fact lead to the goal he proposes.
our response must be based upon the
stern facts and upon nothing else. II
Is not mere cessation Of arms he de-
sires; 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 wbat
VIII insure us against it,
His holiness, in substance. pro-
poses that we return to the status ono
ante oellum and that then there he
a general condonation. disarmamant
and a concert of nations. based uno,,
an acceptance of the principIe of ar
duration; that by a similar concert
freedom of the seas be established
ana that the territorial claims of
rance and Italy, the perplexing pro-
Oiems OF the Balkan states and the
RESTITUTION of Poland be left to such
conclllatory adjustments as NAV he
possible in the new temper of such a
peace, due regard being paid to the
aspirations of the peoples whose DO
lltical fortunes and affiliations will be
involved.
Want to Deliver Free PeODIeS.
IL Is manifest that no part of this
program can be successfully carried
out unless the restitution of the
status quo ante furnishes a firm ana
satisfactory basis for it, The object
OF this war is to deliver the free peo-
pies OF The world from the menace and
the acNal power of a vast military
establihment controlled by an irres
ponsible government which. having
secretly planned to dominate the
world, proceeded to carry the plan
out without regard either to the
sacred obligations of treaty or the long
established practices and long cher
ished principles of International ac-
tion and honor; which chose its own
time for the war: delivered its blow
nercely and suddenly. stopped at no
barrier either of law or of mercy /.
swept a whole continent within the
tide of blood-not the blood of SOL
diers only. but the blood of innocent
women and children also. and of the
helpless poor: and now stands ballxed
but not defeated. the enemy of four
tifths Of the world.
Ihls power is not the German peo-
pie. 1t is no business of ours how
that great people came under its con
lrol or submitted with temporary zest
10 the domination Of its purpose: but
IL is our business to see to it that the
history OF the rest of the world is no
longer left to its handling
To deal with such a power by way
OF peace upon the plan proposed by
MS holiness. the pope, would, so far
as We can see, involve a recuperatiou
OF IT'S strength and a renewal of its
policy; would make it necessary to
create a hostile combination of nations
against the German people, who are its
Instruments; and would result in
abandoning the newborn Russia to
the intrigue, the manifold subtle in
reference, and the certain counter
revolution which would be attempted
by all the malign influences to which
the German government has of late ac-
+ customed the world. Can peace be
based upon a restitution of its power
= or upon any word of honor it could
- pledge in a treaty of settlement and