Evening star., 1923-06-09
PEACE IS STRESSED
ASSACRED MISSION
Welfare Workers, However,
See in Unpreparedness
Quickest Way to War.
ALL CHURCHES IN PARlEY
Report From Conference Made to
Secretary Weeks Embraces
Warning to Nation.
ALL CHURCHES IN PARLEY

peace at home within our coun-
try-peace among all the nations of
the earth-is a sacred mission to
which America has devoted herself
and her resources. To pursue it un-
armed and undefended would be the
quickest way TO invite war"
This was one of a series of pro-
nouncements submitted to Secretary
of War Weeks Yesterday by the con-
ference Of religious and welfare
workers called by him compri sing
representatives of Protestant. Roman
catholic and Jewish denominations.
These advisers joined unanimously in
submitting the above declaration.
War ChaplainS Present.
More than sixty clergymen. educators
and leaders of welfare organizations
attended the three-day conference in
addition to twenty-five chaplainS
with world-war experience, includin &
Father Francis z. Duffy of New York,
who was awarded distinguished serv-
ice cross for gallantry under fire in
France. DR.. Cyrus Adler of the Jew
ish Welfare Board. Bishop william F.
Mcdowell (MethodisD Of this city
and Father Duffy presided over ses-
Sions of the conference
The committee which prepared the
finding of the conference was head
ed by Bishop William F. Mcdowell of
his city, tMethodis). and included
John NJ. Thomas, president, Pennsyl-
Nania state College: Rabbi Morris :.
Lazaron, Baltimore Hebrew Congre-
cation; Rev. William F. Barton. mod
orator, National Council of Congrega-
tional Churches; Bishop James De
Wolf Perry, jr, Rhode Island tEpis,
secretary, National Catholic Welfare
Council; Rev. Samuel Z. Batten. sec
rotary, department of social educa-
tion. American Baptist Publication
tion Army, and Rev. Jason y. Pierce.
First Congregational Church. Wash
lngton, D. {.
Preparedness Urged.
In declaring the attitude of the
conference and the churches and
question of national preparedness, the
conference pronouncement said
Peace at home within our country.
peace among all the nations of the
earth is a sacred mission to which
America has devoted herself and her
resources. To pursue it unarmed and
nndefended would be the quickest
way to invite war Against the curse
"f militarism America has tradition
ally set herself. AIilitarism is abso-
lutely strange to the genius of her
institutions. Her Army IN the time
of war is a citizen army. her Army
III time of peace is a volunteer army.
civilians direct her Army and Navy;
The existence and upkeep of both are
contingent upon the Will of a repre-
sentative Congress.
THE Army and Navy of the United
States have always been essential to
the life and welfare of the republic.
The Army and Navy of the United
States command. therefore. the re-
spect of every true citizen.
At another point the pronounce
ment said:
We dcprecate any attempt. made
under the cloak of religion and in
the name of false pactiSm, to deny
the support Of the churches to the
well being of our Army and Navy"
Duties of ChapIains Defined.
Defining the duties of military
cha aplains the findings said:
The welfare worker is not chap
lain. The chaplains are men of re-
ligion, chosen from the churches and
commissioned to do religious work in
The whole Army.
"Chaplains are commi ssioned TO
work for all the men without dis
tinction of creed. To interpret this
IS meaning that all creeds are alike
or that creed is of no value is to i'm
pose ones own rligious belief upon
others. This is to offend religious
liberty. because religious liberty
postulates religious differences To
wipe out all religious differences. and