POPE BENEDICT ASKS FOR PEACE
Pope Benedict Asks For Peace Vatican Addresses Appeal to Belligerents Asking For Conference to Bring About New International Brotherhood ON August 14 the news cables carried the announcement that...
...These we believe are the main bases upon which must rest the future reorganization of the peoples...
...As for us, closely united in prayer and penitence with all the faithful souls who yearn for peace, we implore for you the divine spirit, enlightenment, and guidance...
...Therefore, on the part of Germany, there should be total evacuation of Belgium, with guarantees of its entire political, military, and economie independence toward any power whatever...
...then, Uking the place of arms, the institution of arbitration, with its high pacifying function, according to rules to be drawn In concert and under sanctions to be determined against any State which would decline either to reler international questions to arbitration or to accept its awards...
...The diplomacy during the past few months of the western allies and the United States has done so little to strengthen the revolution and much to make its survival more difficult...
...When supremacy of right is thus astablished, let every obstacle to ways of communication of the peoples be removed by insuring, through rules to be also determined, the true freedom and community of the seas, which, on the one hand, would eliminate any causes of conflict, and, on the other hand, would open to all new sources of prosperity and progress...
...But no longer confining ourselves to general terms, as we were led to do by circumstances in the past, we will now come to more concrete and practical proposals and invite the Governments of both belligerent peoples to arrive at an agreement on the following points, which seem to offer the base of a just and lasting peace, leaving it with them to make tnem more precise and complete...
...finally, as also required by our mission of peace, to omit nothing, as far as it lay in our power, that could contribute to expedite the end of these calamities by endeavoring to bring the peoples and their rulers to more moderate resolutions, to the serene deliberation of peace, of a "just and lasting" peace...
...In so distressing a situation, in the presence of 60 grave a menace, we, who have no personal political aim, who listen to the suggestions or interests of none of the belligerents, but are solely actuated by the sense of our supreme duty as the common father of the faithful, by the solicitations of our children who implore our intervention and peace-bearing word, uttering the very voice of humanity and reason—we again call for peace, and we renew a pressing appeal to those who have in their hands the destinies of the nations...
...Helping Russia The Allies, like the Germans, must treat the Russian Revolution as the key to the situation...
...Whoever has watched our endeavors in these three grievous years that have just elapsed could e illy sec that, while we remained ever true to our resolution of absolute impartiality and beneficent aecion, we never ceased to urge the belligerent peoples and Governments again to be brothers, although all that we did to reach this very noble goal was not made public...
...But these specific agreements, with the immense advantages that flow from them, are not possibie unless territory now occupied is reciprocally restituted...
...On your decision depend the quiet and joy of numberless families, the lives of thousands of young men, the happiness, in a word, of the peoples, for whom it is your imperative duty to secure this boon...
...As for the damages to be repaid and the cost of the war, we see no other way of solving the question than by setting up the general principle of entire and reciprocal conditions, which would be justified by the immense benefit to be derived from disarmament, all the more as one could not understand that such carnage could go on for mere economic reasons...
...evacuation also of-the French territory...
...Unfcrtunately, our appeal was not heeded, and the war was fiercely carried on for two years more, with all its horrors...
...The same spirit of equity and justice mast guide the examination of the other territorial and political questions, notably those relative to Armenia, the Balkan States, and the territories forming part of the old Kingdom of Poland, for which, in particular, its noble historical traditions and suffering, particularly undergone In the present war, must win, with justice, the sympathies of the nations...
...on the part of the other belligerents, a similar restitution of the Ger-man colonies...
...May the Lord inspire you with decisions conformable to His very holy will...
...Everybody acknowledges, on the other hand, that on both sides the honor of arms is safe...
...Is this civilized world to be turned into a field of death, and is Europe, so glorious and flourishing, to rush, as carried by a universal folly, to the abyss and take a hand in its own suicide...
...Their neglect up to date to risk any diplomatic support of the Russian peace initiative has enabled the ruling class in Germany once again to conceal its own intended aggression behind the screen of fear created by the threatened consequence of a victory for the allies...
...May Heaven grant that in winning the applause of your contemporaries you will also earn from the future generations the great title of pacificators...
...About the end of the first year of the war, we addressed to the contending nations the most earnest exhortations, and in'addition pointed to the path that would lead to a stable peace honorable to all...
...The reluctance to show any active sympathy for its peace formula has placed obstacles in the way of the preservation of order in Russia and has increased the chances of disorganization and of an ultimate military dictatorship...
...If certain particular reasons stand against this In certain cases, let them be weighed in justice and equity...
...They are such as to make the recurrence of such conflicts impossible and open the way for the solution of the economic question, which is so Important for the future and the material welfare of all of the belligerent Slates...
...BENEDICTUS P. M. XV...
...August 16 the State Department made public an official translation of these proposals as follows : To the Rulers of the Belligerent Peoples: From the beginning of our Pontificate, in the midst of the horrors of the awful war let loose on Europe, we have had of all things three in mind: to maintain perfect impartiality toward all the belligerents, as becomes him who is the common lather aitd loves all his children with equal affection, continually to endeavor to do them all as much good as possible, without exception of person, without distinction of nationality or religion, as is dictated to us by the universal law of charity as well as by the supreme spiritual charge with which we have been intrusted by Christ...
...It became even more cruel, and spread over land and sea, and even to the air, and desoiation and death were seen to fall upon the defenseless cities, peaceful villages, and their innocent people...
...As regards territorial questions, as, for instance, those that are disputed by Italy and Austria, by Germany and France, there is reason to hope that, in consideration of the immense advantages of durable peace with disarmament, the contending parties will examine them in a conciliatory spirit, taking into account, as far as is just and possible, as we have said formerly, the aspirations of the population, and, if occasion arises, adjusting private interests to the general good of the great human society...
...Bear in mind your very grave responsibility to God and man...
...And now no cne can imagine how much the general suffering would increase if other months or, still worse, other years were added to this sanguinary triennium...
...Do not, then, turn a deaf ear to our prayer, accept the international invitation which we extend to you in the name of the Divine Redeemer, Prince of Peace...
...First, the fundamental point must be that the material force of arms shall give way to the moral force of right, whence shall proceed a just agreement of all upon the simultaneous and reciprocal lecrease of armaments, according to rules and guarantees to be established, in the necessary and efficient measure for the maintenance of public order in every State...
...Given at the Vatican, Ang...
...And so, in presenting them to you, who at this tragic hour judge the destinies of the belligerent nations, we Indulge a gratifying hope that they will be accepted and that we shall thus see an early termination of the terrible struggle, which has more and more the appearance of a useless massacre...
...1, 1917...
...Thus the allied diplomacy has done nothing to secure the new Russia from malevolent ?i£or oi German intrigue.—The Hew Republio...
...Pope Benedict Asks For Peace Vatican Addresses Appeal to Belligerents Asking For Conference to Bring About New International Brotherhood ON August 14 the news cables carried the announcement that Pope Benedict had presented to the governments and peoples of the belligerent countries peace proposals...
Vol. 9 • August 1917 • No. 8
