PEACE PROPOSALS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17093, 27 August 1917, Page 5

PEACE PROPOSALS

THE PAPAL NOTES. FREEDOM OF SEAS DEFINED. The Times. ROME, August 24. The Pope, when' giving an audience to allied Ministers at the Vatican, denned the phrase "freedom of the eeas" in the papal Note as having the same meaning as was conveyed in President Wilson's xVlessage, leaving the belligerents to settle the details.

PEACE NOTE EXPLAINED

STATEMENT BY CARDINAL

GASPARRI,

COMPENSATION FOR BELGIUM.

Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.? • NEW YORK, Augnst 24. Cardinal Gasparri's statement, particularly his suggestion that Belgium should be compensated, has created a more favourable impression at the State Department than did the original papal plea. The belief is expressed that peace may depend on the Pope's ability to secure German consent to reparation. Cardinal Gasparri has given out an amplifying statement on the Pope's peace proposal.

He says: "The first two points in the pontifical appeal for peace, treating disarmament and the freedom of the seas were suggested by President Wilson's messageto the Senate, and consequently we are inclined to believe that they will find the same reception in America as when President Wilson proclaimed them. The third and fourth points, regarding a mutual liquidation of war expenses and damages and a mutual restitution of occupied territories, were formulated from public speeches by belligerent statesmen and resolutions passed by their respective Parliaments, and therefore the same statesmen cannot refute them now without contradicting themselves. Moreover, it is necessary to remark as to the condonation 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 could not propose a definite concrete solution, and consequently he confined himself to hoping that they will be examined in a conciliatory spirit Ihe Pope wishes to emphasise the statement that his appeal was not suggested by any belligerent. Finally, the Pope said nothing about democracy, because history teaches that a form of government imposed by arms cannot live, and also because people having a universal suffrage may choose any form thev please. Furthermore, democracy will receive such an impulse from this war that wisdom must prevent it deteriorating into excessive forms, such as anarchy."

AUSTRIAN EMPEROR HOPEFUL.

"END OF WAR IN SIGHT."

'._ . LAUSANNE, August 25. (Received Aug. 26, at 5.5 p.m.) The Austrian Emperor, in replying to a Croatian delegation, described the "peace efforts and said he was confident that the end of the war was in sight.