The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-08-17
Continued from page IL
History of War Prisoners
Release

NSA~oSS
which an appeal was made to his hui
manitarian sentiments.
Sovereigns Reply.
In reply the King of England of
fered his thanks to the Holy Father
| for his telegram, and assured him
! that the British government had well
coined his proposal, and hoped that
early in the new year the plan would
! become effective.
The Emperor of Germany likewise
! thanked His Holiness for his telegram,
and gave him the assurance that he
was totally in sympathy with his pro-
/ posals.
Francis Joseph, the Emperor of
! Austria, expressed himself as pro-
| foundly moved by the sentiments of
Christian charity displayed by His
Holiness, and stated that his govern
ment was ready to open negotiations
with the inimical nations, in order to
come to a practical carrying out OF
the proposals. ~~
Baron Hertling of Bavaria tele-
/ graphed to the minister of that coun-
| try to the Holy See that the royal
/ government had received in the most
sympathetic manner the proposal OF
the sovereign Pontiff.
Peter the First Of Serbia sent New
Year greetings to the Holy Father
and assured him that the Serbian
! government would not fail to asso-
ciate itself with any plan the other
belligerents would agree to, in the
question of exchange of prisoners.
Undoubtedly the first days of the
| New Year 1915 brought much salts
faction to Benedict XIV, for from the
above one can readily perceive how
willingly many Of the warning powers
received his proposals, and what as
surance was given him, as a conse
quence, that thousands Of families
and prisoners would be relieved OF
much anxiety and suffering, by the
| exchange the nations were disposed
to effect.
On January the Gar of Russia
telegraphed His Holiness, congratu,
lating him on his voluntary initiative
which would mean so much to hui
mainly, and promising his adhesion
to the plan. Several days previously
the Secretary of State had been in
formed by H. E. Nelidow that the
emperor had deigned TO consent to
an exchange of prisoners judged I'M
fit for further military service.
On January the final answer came
from Turkey, Mgr. Dolci, the delegate
to Constantinople, telegraphed the
following words to the Cardinal Sec
rotary of State:
Il confirm that the government &C
cepts the proposals of the Holy Faith
err, relative to an exchange of pris
oners"
Mohamet V, the Sultan of Turkey
) sent his reply on January 9, fully &C
cepting the proposals of His Holiness
The answer from Nicholas |, King
of Montenegro, reached the Vatican
on January 10. He stated that the
proposals of His Holiness, animated
by sentiments of Christian charity
met with his approval and were salts
factory to Montenegro.
Now that satisfactory replies hat
been received from all the other ma
tons, on January the Pope tele
graphed His EXcellency, Raymond
Poincare, President of the French re
public, asking him to follow the eX
ample of the other belligerents, all O
whom had accepted the proposals O.
the Holy See. On the following da!
reply came to the effect that France
had always treated her prisoners o.
war kindly, and now is studying
means for a complete exchange O.
those incapacitated for military serv
ice.
Even Japan was consulted by tele
gram on January 9, relative to the
exchange, and the Emperor Yoshilitt
replied from Toxic on the 18th O
!. January. He stated he was in full
accord with the Holy Fathers efforts
to relieve as much as possible the
=
soldiers were in the hands of thu
enemy, and the prisoners in Japal
were treated with the greatest kind
ness.
The above brief account of the ne
gotiations between the Holy See AM
! the belligerent nations is sufficient t,
: show the world the generous Chris
: tian efforts of Benedict XIV to allev
late the sufferings and horrors of war
The result was happy, and Thousand
who enjoy liberty today evel
though they are manned and en-
feebled by i'll health-never will ceas
to thank the Holy Father for hi
work. The whole world as wei
: should admire the charity and goo
> will and fatherly kindness of Benz
dict XIV.