The Irish standard., 1914-10-03
CONDITIONS IN WAR.

No doubt there exists in the minds
of many Catholics the question
whether or not it is morally right to
engage in human slaughter regard
less of the merits of the controversy
because of the actual pressing neces-
sity of taking human lives in hui
man conflict. The right of war is a
sovereign right of state. upon
which its material existence may be
said to depend. The right to make
war under circumstances of deter
mined grievances is the right to use
physical force for self preservation
and must be based upon the existing
necessity which can be pursued only
to the extent of maintaining law and
order in defending the rights of civil
ization. both internally and external
ly. The teachings of the Catholic
Church have always recognized the
right of state to make war. The
matter is we'll discussed by Father
Machsey. s. j., of the Gregorian Uni
versity. who points out the philoso-
ply of the Catholic Church in deal
ing with the right of war, when he
says:
Catholic philosophy has. there
fore, always conceded to the State
the full and natural right Of war.
whether (1) defensive. as in case of
being attacked. or (2) offensive, or
coercive, where it finds 1t necessary
to take the initiative in the applica-
tion of force. or 90 punitive, in the
infliction of punishment for evil done
against itself. or in some determined
cases, against others. International
law views the punitive right of war
with suspicion. though its original
existence under the natural law can
not wei lbe disputed. In the case Of
war being waged in such circum-
stances by one nation against another
nation, the latter must be judicially
in the wrong, that is to say, it must
have violated the perfect right Of
another state or at least be involved
in an attempt at such a violation.
The foundation of the right to war is
a right violated or threatened; but
(says the Jesuit) state cannot make
war against another state solely be-
cause the latter has failed to perform
some ethical duty. No state. he says,
no more than any individual, may
use violence to enforce the perform
ance of purely moral or ethical
duty. AS bearing on the actual war
in Europe, the Jesuit says that Cath
olic philosophy maintains the follow
ing tenet, namely, that no state may
take advantage of the need of more
territory for its overplus Of popula-
tion to seize the superabundant and
undeveloped territory of another
state. In the case Of extreme neces-
sity, like that of a starving man,
where there is no other remedy ex-
cept forced sale or seizure of the
territory in question, there would be
something upon which to base an
argument, and the case may be con-
ceived, but, he adds, the case seems
far from arising. Again, his words
sink deep into the mind when the
Jesuit writes as follows: IA war to
be Just, must be waged by a sover-
eign power for the security of per-
feet right Of its own, or of another
Justly invoking its protection,
against foreign violation in case
where there is no other means avail
able to secure or repair the right. 1t
must be conducted with a moderation
which in the continuance and settle
ment of the struggle, commits no act
intrinsically immoral. nor exceeds in
damage done. or in payment and in
penalty exacted. the cost Of the war
and the guarantee Of future secur-
ity."