Evening star., 1939-08-28
Pax Romano Opens
Congress al {. IT,;
Peace Efforts Made
Divergent Views
Of Purpose Of Meeting
Appear in Crisis

The 18th International Congress
Of Pax Romano peace of Rome)
met today at Catholic University. Its
nearly 500 delegates. coming from
nations of Europe whose leaders may
soon send them to war. were making
every effort to preserve the atmos-
phere of pacific effort for which they
came.
Two divergent views of the pur-
pose Of the peace congress in the
face of European crisis were ex-
pressed by students and educators
coming from Germany, France, Po-
land, Great Britain and Italy. DR..
Francis Aylward of Liverpool head
OF the English group, said thai "the
one thing we must avoid is any
political talk" He believed that the
congress should take no position in
regard to the opposing forces of
Europe today, emphasizing only a
long-range goodwill program.
The Swiss delegate, Able Joseph
Grenaud, in an address at the open
Ing session of the congress, MAIN
tanned on the other hand that the
present warlike situation gave spe-
clal significance to the congress. In
his speech, delivered in French, he
expressed the idea that Pax Romano
should make every effort to solve the
present difficulty. If failure meets
these efforts, Catholics should build
for world peace anew. he said.
Msgr. Corrigan's Statement.
.Msgr. Joseph Corrigan, rector of
Catholic University, made this
statement:
There is no obscuring the purpose
OF your being here. The hope of
the world is in Catholic youth. If
humanity is to remain united, there
is no organized power outside the
Catholic Church which can force it
to do so. We have a serious respon-
sibility to face, whatever is going to
happen.
He advised Catholic youth
throughout the world to undertake
leadership of the rank and file"
of the people. IF you cannot stand
on the platform with those who
oppose you, let them find you a
phalanx that will stand together
throughout the world" he said.
Another of the principal speakers
at today's session was Senor Don
Alberto Martin Artajo of Madrid,
who was held 80 days as Spanish
'loyalist" prisoner after fighting
with Franco in Spain. The broad
shouldered and dark-haired vice
president of the Central Committee
OF Catholic Action delivered his
address in Spanish.
A Frenchman's Attitude.
The leader of the French del
egate, Robert Boude, instructor of
history in the Marine Institute at
Versailles, said. The answer is
very simple" when asked if the
French delegate would go to war If
hostilities would break out.
IF M. Hitler wishes to use force
we cannot let it go on. We can
not perpetually let man who be-
heves himself stronger than others
have his own way" he said.
1T would be particularly painful
to the French people to have to
march into Italy he declared. I'VE
like the Italian people greatly, but
the Italian government is something
different-particularly Count Ciano."
In solemn opening mass at the
university this morning Msgr. Cor
rigan said that the great enemy of
the church is the Red International.
"Anti-Christ is heard round the
world, and must be opposed by the
white and gold international of the
papacy," he declared. Spread round
about you the glory of your propa-
ganda."
Message Sent to Pope.
At the general session the con-
gress sent cablegram to Pope
Pious XII saying that the congress
places at the feet of the Holy
Father a prayer for the peace of the
world
Tomorrow afternoon fuller dis
cussion Of the question of war is
expected when the international
group discusses The Message of
Student Action for Peace" under
the leadership of DR.. T. Kereken
Of Georgetown University.
Pax Romano is the world fedora
ton of Catholic student groups
which is meeting in America this
year in honor of the golden jubilee
of Catholic University.
The delegates came to Washing
ton from New York by bus yesterday
after the Most Rev. Henri Roger
Beaussart, auxiliary bishop of Paris,
had told the group gathered at Man
hattanville College of the Sacred
Heart in New York: 1--WE must