The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-09-02

! sure. In the matter, therefore, which
concerns us here, doubt will not make
killing iustifiable. The law is: when
in doubt, do not act.
This applies with equal force to the
agent who does the deed, to the prin-
cipal who has it done or consents to
its being done, to those who advise,
encourage, urge or cooperate in any
way therein, as we'll as to those who
having authority to prevent, neglect to
use it. The stain of blood is on the
soul of every person to whom any de-
gree of responsibility or completely
can be attached.
If every murderer in this enlighten-
ed Christian land of ours received the
rope which is his or her due, accord
ing to the letter of the law, business
would be brisk for quite spell. 1t is
small town that has not its profess
sional malpractitioner who succeeds in
evading the law even when he con-
trives to kill two at one time.
War, or an armed struggle between
sovereign states, is defensive when it
is undertaken to resist attack; other
wise it is offensive when undertaken
to avenge an injury, or in vindication
of a right.
When a quarrei has arisen between
two sovereign states, if it is clear that
one is in the wrong, reparatiOn should
| be made to the offended party. In
national quarrels this is seldom the
case; as rule, international disputes
are matters of great completely and
it is very difficult to say on which side
right and justice lie. In ordinary
cases defensive war is always law
full, for if individuals have the right
of self-defense the same right must
! be conceded to sovereign states.
| Even offensive war is lawful, provided
| that certain conditions be fulfilled.
This is the certain teaching OF Cath
| ilic theology, although the Church
constantly prays to be delivered from
all wars and from the terrible evils
to which they give rise. Although
war is a great evil, yet it is sometimes
a hard necessity if still greater evils
are to be avoided. For there is no
higher tribunal to which sovereign
states can have recourse to settle
their disputed rights and nothing is
| left but the final arbitrament OF the
sword. In modern times arbitration
courts have been established and they
have done useful work, but cases arise
in which their aid cannot be invoked
with effect There are three condi-
tons on which war may be lawfully
Waged.
The public authority of sovereign
state is requisite to declare war, for
war, except in just defence, cannot be
made on private authority, or by less
than sovereign state; for private per-
sons and subject states can always
have recourse to higher authority for
the vindication Of their rights.
just and weighty cause is neces-
sary, for the cause should be such as
to outweigh" the grave evils and risks
which always accompany war. Such
cause, in the judgment of divines, are:
The retaking of a conquered country
or rebelliouS province, the avenging OF
a grave insult or injury offered to the
state, the freeing of the unjustly OPP
pressed, the refusal of infidel states to
allow the Gospel to be preached in
their dominions. There is consider.
able difference of opinion as to
whether certainty of the existence OF
a sufficient cause is required or not
for the lawfulness of a war. Some
hold that a probability of right is
sufficient, for with such a probable
right a private person may commence
an action at law and states should
not be in a worse position than pri
vate persons in the prosecution OF
their claims. However, an account OF
the grave public evils connected with
war and because it is unlawful to de,
prive another of what he possesses on
the ground that it is only probably
mine, it would seem that at least a
more probable right or even more
certainty of right is required on the
side of the state that begins the war