PEACE MOVEMENT.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 27 August 1917, Page 5

PEACE MOVEMENT.

POPE'S PEACE PROPOSALS.

NEW YORK August 24. Cardinal Gasparri. has given the United States an amplyfing statement concerning the Pope' s peace proposal. He says : "The first two points of the pontificial appeal for peace, treating, disarmament, and freedom of the seas, were suggested by Mr Wilson's message to the Senate, consequently we are inclined to believe they will find the same reception in America as when Mr. Wilson proclaimed them. The third and fourth points, suggesting mutual condonation of war expenses and damages and mutual restitution of occupied territories, were formulated in public speeches by belligerent statesmen, and resolutions passed by respective iv e Parliaments. Therefore the same statesmen cannot refute them now without contradicting themselves. Moreover, it is necessary to remark as to the co-ordination of damages, caused by the war that there is an exception applying particularly to Belgium. The fifth and sixth points concern special territorial questions about which the Pope couldn't propose any definite concrete solution, consequently he confines himself to hoping they will be examined in aconciliatory spirit. The Pope wishes to emphasize that the appeal was not suggested by any belligerent. Finally, the Pope said nothing about • democracy, because history teaches that any .form of Government imposed by arms cannot live and also because the people having universal, suffrage, may choose any form they please. Furthermore, democracy, will have such impulse from this war that wisdom deteriorating into excessive forms such as anarchy.