Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-09-16

unbinntnR dlsCuSHDn nj ncutrhl tueeA~
ing place, and has addressed to them
note drawn up in this sense.
This step has been brought to the
knowledge of the Holy See in a special
note. and an appeal thereby made to the
Popc's interest in peace. Furthermore,
the governments OF the neutral states
have been made acquainted with the
step taken. =.
1.-THE constant close accord which
exists between the four allied Central
powers warrants the assumption that
the allies of Austria-Hungary, to whom
the proposal is being sent IN the same
manner, share the views developed IN
the note
FIRST PEACE OFFER STILL GOOD.
The official telegram proceeds to say
that the note has been drawn up in
French and runs ias follows:
''The peace offer which the powers of
the auadruple alliance addressed to
their opponents on December IL, 1915,
and the concliatory basic ideas of which
they have never given up, signlfies,
despite the rejection which IT expert
enced, an important stage III the his-
tory of this war, In contrast to the
first two and half war years, the q'ies-
tion of peace has from that moment
been the centre OF European, aye, oi
world, discussion, and dominates It IN
cver-InCreaslng measure.
Almost all the bclligerent states
have in turn again and again expressed
themselves on the question of peace, its
prerequisites and conditions. The line
of development of this discussion. how
ever. has not been uniform and steady.
The basic standpoint changed under the
influence of the military and political
position, and hitherto. at any rate, II has
not led To tangible general result that
could he utilized.
EXTREME AIMS MODIFIED.
"It is true that, independent of all
these oscillations, II can be stated that
the distance between the conceptions of
the two sides has. on the whole, grown
somewhat less. that despite tho indls-
mtablc continuance of decided and hlth-
Crto unhridgcd differences, partial turn
ing from many Of the most extreme con
crete war aims is visible and q certain
agreement upon the relative general
basic principles of world peace mani
tests itself In both camps there ~ un-
doubtedlv observable in wide classes of
the population a growth of the will to
peace and understanding. Moreover,
comparison of the reception of the peace
proposals Of the powers OF the quad
uIpc alliance on the part Of their or
poncntS with the later uttcranccs of re-
spousible statesmen of the latter, as well
as of tho non-rcspousIblc but IN po-
lItIcal respect nowlSe uuiniiucntial per
sonahtites, confirms this impression
While for example, the reply of the
Allies 10 President Wilson made de
mands which amounted 80 the disincm-
bermcnt OF Austria Hungary, to = d,m
mutton and deep internal transforma-
tiOn of the German empire and the dc
struction of Turkish European owner
ship these demands. the realization Of
which was based on the suppositlon Of
an overwhelming victory, were later
modified IN many declarations from Off
cial Entente quarters, or IN part were
dropped
THAT WAR oF pEFENsE AGAIN
Thus IN q declaration made in the
British House of Commons year ago,
Secretary Balfour expressly recognized
that AustrIa-liungary must itself solve
us internal prohlems. and that no ono
could impose constitution upon Ger
many from the outside Premier Lloyd
George declared at the beginning Of
this wear that II was not ono ot the
Allies war aims to partition Austria
Hungary. to rob the Ottoman Implrr
of ITS Turkish provinces or to reform
Germany internally II may also hc
considered sNmptoma'Ic that IN De
ccmher. 1917. Mr.. lalfour catcgoricallN
repudlated the assumption that British
rolcv had over engaged itself for tho
creation Of an independent state Our
of the territories on tho left bank oi
the Rhine
The Central Powers leave il in no
doubt that they arc only waglng war
Of defense for the integrity and security
of their territories.
Far moro outspokcn than IN the
domain of concrete war aims has the
approachmrnt OF conceptions proceeded
regarding those guiding lines upon the
basis of which peace shall lie concluded
and the future order ot Europe and the
world built up In thus direction Presi-
dent Wilson in his speeches Of February
II and July 1 Of this year has formu-
lated nrinCiplcs which have not en-
countered contradiction on tho part of
his allies and tho far reaching apphCa-
tion of which is likely 10 meet with no
objection on tho part Of the powers of
Q ouadruple alliance also. prosuppos-
ING that this application IS general and
rcconciHablc with the vital interests Of
the states concerned.
MoNOIO OGUEs on IEACE FUTILE.
at is true II must be remembered
that an agreement on general prlncInleS
Is insufficient. but that there remains
the further matter Of reaching an accord
upon their Interpretation and their ap-
piication 10 individual concrete war and
peace questions.
To an unprejudiced observer there
can be no doubt that IN all the belhger-
ent states. without exception. the desire
for a peace of understanding has been
enormously strengthened; that the con-
viction Is increasingly spreading that
the further continuance of the bloody
struggle must transform Europe into
ruins and into a state of exhaustion
that will mark it's development for
decades to come. and this without any
guarantee of thereby bringing about that
decision by arms which has been vainly
striven after by both sides in four years
filed with enormous sacrifices, sufferings
and eXertiOns.
In what manner, however. can the
way be paved for All understanding and
an understanding finally attained? is
there any serious prospect whatever Of
reaching this aim by continuing the dis
cussion Of the peace problem in the way
hitherto followed?
I'VE have not the courage TO answer