deprive the Pope of credit for a mission which he ought to be carrying out, and would thus tend to strengthen the prestige of international Socialism in general. Thus, from the spring of 1917 onwards, the Vatican was continually considering its active intervention with a view to peace negotiations. In June and July the diplomatic authorities of the Vatican closely investigated the situation on both sides, and on August 1, 1917, Benedict brought out his peace note addressed “To the heads of the belligerent nations.”(35) This may be regarded as his most significant political action during the war. The note was transmitted to the respective States in the middle of August, and published on the 16th of the same month.
In his note Benedict began by referring to the three principles which he had formulated on becoming Pope, and which I have mentioned above. He emphasized that he had no special political purpose, but was prompted entirely by his feeling of duty. He proposed the following principles as being conducive to a lasting peace: (1) material force should be replaced by the moral strength of right; (2) armaments should be reduced to the minimum necessary for preserving public order; (3) armies should be replaced by arbitration bodies; (4) the freedom of the seas should be guaranteed(36); (5) mutual exemption from the payment of indemnities for damage incurred, except in cases where such compensation was agreed upon; (6) mutual evacuation of territories then occupied, i.e. Belgium, with guarantees for its complete political independence of both belligerent parties, evacuation of the occupied areas of France, together with the restoration of the German colonies. (7) The outstanding territorial questions between Austria and Italy, Germany and France, were to be considered in a spirit of reconciliation and with due regard to the desires of the nations involved; (8) the same spirit should be brought to bear upon the territorial aspects of the Armenian and Balkan problems, as well as the question of the former Kingdom of Poland.
Such, then, was to be the basis for establishing the future peace of the nations. Benedict’s note produced a favourable effect chiefly in Vienna, since it was entirely in accordance with the aims and efforts of the authorities there. It was directed towards an early peace, and it said nothing definite as to Austro-Hungarian territory, nor did it refer in any way to the self-determination of nations, nor even to their equitable
