Evening star., 1943-06-12

growing contact between the
churches and the workers move
ment. 1t is reported that organized
cooperation is already taking place
between church leaders and workers
representatives for the postwar
period. Many workers, it is said,
agree, as a fundamental principle,
that the Christian faith must be
one OF the essential forces for the
rebuilding of Germany as we'll as of
Europe. Regular cooperation is also
described as taking place between
church and labor groups in occupied
countries.
If contact between the churches
and labor increases and widens, the
movement may have vast repercus-
sions for the future of Germany and
other countries in Europe, and may
inaugurate continent-Wide collab-
Grafton between the two influential
groups for reconstruction.
Labor Movements.
1t is recalled that before the war
European labor movements had the
reputation of being anti-religious,
Or, at least. Indifferent to religion.
In some countries labor groups
adopted the then-Communist slo-
gan which claimed that religion was
an opiate of the people. There was
widespread suspicion of the aims of
churches and little collaboration be-
tween religious leaders and workers.
Apparently the war is breaking
down this suspicion, and a change
OF attitude on the part of labor Is
emerging.
One major result of cooperation
between churches and labor is likely
to be setback to the Communist
movement in Europe after the war.
There Is no likelihood that church
opposition to Communism will
change appreciably unless Russia
grants complete religious freedom.
European church leaders are more
fearful OF Communism than are
American religious leaders. New
ertheless, 1t is possible that Euro
pean churches will come out of this
war with a more sympathetic atti-
tude toward labor's aspirations and
a more progressive social outlook
generally.
One development supporting such
a belief is report on postwar plan
nlng issued by a group of church
leaders, theologians and laymen in
an occupied country, a summary of
which was cabled to Religious News
Service this week by its Lisbon cor
respondent.
The report refers specifically to
the hopes Of workers after the war
and declares the church must insist
on the mighty weapon called
planned economy" being used for
the purpose of seeking a solution to
the social problem. 1t warns against
the danger that many churchmen
Will be satisfied with the restora ton
OF peace, independence and the rule
OF law in the occupied countries
without realizing that the mere
restoration of the former society
even If it were possible, would be
absolutely insufficient in the light
OF the experiences of these last
years"
Some students Of foreign affairs
believe the churches in Germany
and the occupied countries will be
called upon to play a major role in
postwar reconstruction. The fact
that the German churches are al
ready planning to assume their
share Of responsibility is regarded
as most hopeful sign. In church
circles the feeling is increasingly
expressed that the Reich churches
Will have to bear their full share
OF the re-education of Germans.
particularly as regards the elimi-
nation of militarism from German
life. To fulfill this function. it is
held, will require vast changes with
IN the church itself, notably in the
way OF an abandonment of it's pre-
Vlous isolation from secular life. The
present activities of the churches
indicate that they are already be-
ginning to change in this direction