The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-02-12
RELIGION AND PEACE
TWO GREAT PURLlcIsTs DECLARE
THAT RELIGION Is THE SOLE
GUARANTEE AGAINST INTER
NATIONAL CONFLICT.

The storm and stress of the great
European war has produced an in
ereasing attention upon the part of
men in public life as to the means
which can be used to prevent the re-
currence in the future of such a vast
age of human life and activity Pro
posals aiming to secure permanent
international peace are made on all
sides. In some quarters international
disarmament is suggested as the
remedy; in others an increase on the
part, of certain nations of the armies
and navies which they now have Is
put forth as the solution.
But a short time ago Theodore
Roosevelt, in writing to Stephen
Pichon, former French Minister of
Foreign Affairs, declared that new
diplomacy was needed as a result of
this terrible war" and that this
diplomacy must be based on a new
system of international governmental
actions, which in it's terms must be
built on greater solidarity of interna-
tional opinion, at least as far as GER
tain kinds of national and international
misdeeds are concerned" Here was
the idea of international relations
builded on moral principles-in itself
very excellent idea. The question
necessarily arises, however, as to how
these moral principles are to be pro-
duced and from whence they flow.
Two great European publicists have
recently spoken on this subject, one Of
them Catholic and the other a Prot
estant both arriving at conclusions
singularly alike. On this account and
because of the distinguished character
of the proponents, these statements
are worthy OF quotation.
The Catholic Professor Lammasch
| of Vienna, a member of the Interna-
tional Court of Arbitration at the
| Hague, says: Evidently war will not
disappear from the globe through the
efforts of societies and the speeches
of pacifists. To successfully attain
this end, it is necessary that the idea
of Christianity govern our whole life
and above all our political life. If the
dreadful hatred and terrible sacrifice
| of blood are to be driven from the
world forever, at least from the Chris
tan world Of the West, then above all
else must that hatred be expelled
| from the hearts of men with which
every nation looks upon the progress
in wealth and power of the other.
But this only will be possible if we
really cease to acknowledge power
and wealth as the sole measure Of the
progress of mankind if we do away
with the heather idea that the state
stands above the'taws OF morality,
that things are becoming statesman
as such which would dishonor him rs
a man."
The non-Catholic, r. w. Forester,
the celebrated Professor at Munich,
tells us: 1--WE shall only make real
progress in the social spirit if the
social idea mas also penetrated
Into international relations, if interna
tional conflicts are no longer treated
in an egocentric but in social way
And also for religion the great hour
will strike, only when heathenism dis
appears from politics, when the bank
ruptcy Of the whole theory Of material
power is clearly seen and when the
nations learn to understand that the
light of life is not only given to eluci
date the Sunday but also to illumine
the weekday, to connect all things
temporal with the eternal and to
strengthen our political life by ever
lasting truth"
Thus from two different quarters
from men who have won distinction
in their fields of endeavor, comes this
solemn testimony to the fact thai
religion is necessary for the peace Of
nations, religion that is not confined
to the home and sanctuary but which
reaches out into public life anC
definitely and decidedly affects public
morality. In this way alone can the
fundamental conditions which make
for peace be secured. The worlt
must turn to religion once more ant
: make this the basis for its life anC
activities. It has too long followed ;
different and destructive course, which
has almost led to ruin.
&C. B. of G. Y.