The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-02-27
A FEW NOTES ON THE POSITION
ASSUMED BY EX-PRESlDENT
ELIOT OF HARVARD UNINER-
SlTY.
written for The Catholic Bulletin by
Rev. c. +. McGinnis.)

Among the many questions aroused
by the present great upheaval in Eu.
rope that concerning the part played
by Christianity seems to stand forth
most conspicuously. We are told by
certain class of unbelievers and dis
believers that the fact of the terrible
war now raging beyond the Atlantic is
incontestablc proof that Christianity
with all it's boasted teachings on char
ity and brotherly love, it's lcng his
tory adown the ages, and it's vaunted
beliefs in universal brotherhood-tha
Christianity is a self-confessed and a
dismal failure. Mr.. Charles Eliot, for
mer president of Harvard University,
following along the lines laid down by
himself some time ago for the regen-
Grafton and publication of Christian
ity, seizes upon the present catas-
trophe as a triumphant argument of
the truth of his contention Christian
ity has failed, for "the present holo-
caust has been planned deliberately
with the utmost intelligence and fore
sight, and is being carried on with
terrible efficiency by the nation which
is chiefly responsible for it-a Chris
tian nation
Moreover, during fifty years past,
Christian nations in Europe have Civ
cn their best efforts to devising and
storing up the means of making war
in the most destructive manner and on
an unprecedented SCALE" Let us see
if Christianity should bear the burden
of wrongs and ills that follow from a
contest at arms between two belliger-
Gnt states.
The Right Of War Natural Right.
The right Of war usually is consid-
cred to be natural right. The psy-
chology and the ethics of war lie
deep and latent in the very main
springs Of human nature. They are
based intrinsically on the law of self
preservation, whether this law be ap-
piled to the individual as such, or to
the collective units of the nation.
Personal liberty in this country, as
upheld in the Declaration of Indepen-
dence and guaranteed by the Constitu-
ton, is nothing more than simple
application of the natural law which
to be born free and equal" yea, and
to enjoy freedom and equality with
other human beings.
This law of self-preservation with
regard to the individual is inherent in
his physical and his moral nature.
For existence when applied to hui
man being pre-supposes the right to a
continuance of that existence, unless
a higher law intervenes. Moreover,
this right is both positive and mega
tive, that is, it iustifies the individual
in using the lawful means necessary
to preserve his existence, and it per-
mits him to repel those forces or agen-
cies which threaten the unlawful de-
struction of that same existence.
AS a corollary from this law there
flows the right to protect his family,
his dependents, and his other posses
sions. When these are menaced by an
enemy, domestic or foreign, one who
does not represent higher law, such
a person is within his lawful rights if
he seeks to remove that enemy. Null
tiply that individual right by the popu-
lation of country, and you have the
foundation of civic virtue which has
been called patriotism. When the col.
lective rights of nation are threatened
by foe, the individual certainly is as
fully justified in assisting his fellows
to repel the common enemy as he is
in putting forth his hand to crush the
enemy of his own fireside and family
War, therefore, is but the combined
effort of many units acting in harmony
and unison to repel the invader of the
individual as well as of the national
rights.