Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-02
CATHOLICS TAKE. UP
REPORT ON STUDY
OF ETHICS Of WAR
Topic for Association of In
ternationaI Peace Meet
ing Here.
5 CONDITIONS JUSTIFYING
COMBAT ARE LAID DOWN
Committee Denies All Use of Force
Between Nations Is
Immoral.
Ely THOMAS R. HENRY.


Most nations tina. go to war believe
their cause is just
Armed men on both sides kill each
other in the firm conviction that their
country is in the right and that they
are f1ghing intolerable wrongs.
This is largely due to the obScurity
of the science of international ethics,
a preliminary study of which, made as
a corner stone for a system of relations
between nations which would reduce
the possibility CT war to minimum,
was before the annual meeting of the
Catholic Association for international
Peace at Catholic University today.
This study has been carried out by
a group of clergymen, headed by Rev.
John A. Ryan of Catholic University
It attempts to chart the narrow line
between the ethical law, binding upon
an individual ana the ethical law bind
ing upon state. 1t denies the pacifiSt
declaration that all use of force be-
tween nations is immoral.
Not Held as Precepts.
@This assumption" says the report
"finds no support in either the law OF
revelation or the law of nature. Ger
tain sayings CT Christ which are cited
on its behalf, such as the injunction
about turning the other cheek and not
resisting evil, have always been inter-
preted by the Catholic Church as coun-
ellis of perfection. They are not pre-
cepts. Moreover. they were addressed
to individuals and not to states.
''The natural law clearly authorizes
the individual to defend himself by
force against unjust aggression. Were
iYaVsnaov1f oTd TIYnri0l1f RI
frain from defending their rights by
physical means, the amount of evil and
suffering in the world would be in
creased instead of diminished, for un-
Just men are always willing to use that
weapon, and they would be able to ex-
ercise it more frequently and effectively,
Righteousness would surely not be pro-
NOTED if wicked men were permitted to
have a monopoly of physical coercion.
"All the arguments that justify force
in the vindication of individual rights
are fully applicable to the political
groups known as states. Moreover, the
individual is morally free to refrain
from violent self-defense when he is not
definitely responsible for the welfare of
others, as is a husband or father,
whereas the obligations of a state to
its members forbids it to indulge in
such self-denial.'
Lays Down Conditions.
Having admitted the possible justifi-
cations of war, however, the commit
tee proceeds to introduce qualifications
which would make armed conflict, ethi-
cally justified, a practical imposSibility
under modern conditions. 1t lays down
five conditions justifying state in en-
tering war-actual or certainly immi-
nent violation of rights, moral certainty
that this is the situation, a degree of
EVIL in the injury proportionate to the
evils involved in war, inefficacy OF
peaceful means and a we'll grounded
hope for bringing about better condi-
lions. I'm few, if any. modern wars, .
the committee says, have all these
conditions been observed by the nations
which initiated hostilities. An honest
attempt to observe all these conditions
would make war practically impossible. y
Neither actual violation of national
rights nor moral certainty about 1t,
nor both combined, are sufficient to
make war morally lawful. The rules of
ethics require that the reason must be
in proportion to the magnitude Of the
evil. War inf1icts such enormous in
iuries upon innocent and guilty alike
that it cannot be justified except by
the gravest reasons known to human
society. The rights and interests that
are unjustly attacked and jeopardized
must be of primary Importance to the
State and its members. Such minor
evils as a slight or temporary offense
against national honor or prestige OF
comfort or property will not justify the
awful evils involved in devastating
warfare"
Involves Small Groups Welfare.
Although travellers and investors ir
foreign lands have the right of pro-
lection by their own government under
international law, the report says
ethicalIy this right is limited "by the
right of their country and their fellow
citizens not to be exposed to dis.
proportionateiy grave Inconvenience
They have no right to expect as much
protection from their governments a:
they would have obtained had they re-
NAMED at home. The situation In
wolves the welfare of a small group O
adventurous citizens versus the vel
fare of the community"
A state, the committee concluded
ethically has the right to insist tina
its diplomatic representatives be treate,
with proper respect, but in the grea
majority of cases "the right need no
be urged so far as to involve the us
of armed force. National honor ha
many times been used as a pretext TO
wars of aggression. The right of self
prmervation implies also the right o
state to prevent by proportionatel
Just means other states from fosterin
seditious doctrines and movement
within its territory. All the moral pre-
sulmptions, however, are against tn
use of armed force in such situations.
The report upholds, with reservation
the rights of progressive State to col
onize "sparsely developed territor
which lacks an organized governmer
worthy CT the name. God created tn
earth for all the children of men
general. He did not set apart any POI
fion of it for the exclusive political
economic control of persons on ract
that fail to utilize it adequately.
exercising this right of occupancy, how
ever. the superior State must safeguaf
ali the natural rights of the native
including their property. II IS ais
obliged to provide for their educatiol
physical, mental and moral, and
develop their capacity for some measul
neonle for a long time and with pract
cal unanimity desired self-ruie Great.
a strong presumption in favor 81 rigi
to political independence. the rlgi
becomes certain as soon as mdepent
ence becomes essential to the welfare
q people"
Self-determination however, Is not
itself an intrinsic moral right, the =
mort says. ct Is merely means to u
welfare Of the people or group on who
behalf it is asserted It must pc e,
ercised with due regard TO the wella