Evening star., 1944-11-20
Catholic Bishops Fiot
Held WorId-I important
Declaration Will Play Part in
The Peace, Says Observer
BY Dauid Laurence


The Peace, Says Observer
BY Dauid Laurence
A declaration @of worldwide import
ance and one that must inevitably play
a part in the discussions leading up to
the establishment of an international
organization to preserve peace has
just been made by the Catholic bishops
Of the United States. s@@
1t Is the most far-reaching statement.
yet made by any group, religious or
other wise, in defining international
obligations in the new world order and
is about the most liberal document
presented thus far.
1t is liberal because it boldly and un-
equivocally says that there can be no
peace unless minorities within a country
are treated With justice and because
1t calls for the four freedoms to be
established and guaranteed by all ma
tions within their own borders, includ-
ing our Allies, as condition of mem
bership in any new league.
1t Is. liberal, too, because it insists
that PROSTATE nations shall be aided
to develop into useful members Of
international society and because 1t
cries out for world court with teeth
in it--a court whose functions shall not
be merely advisory but judicial and
whose DEGREES shall be enforced.
Church groups have been vocal here
tofore on the subject of peace plans
The Federal Council of the Churches
of Christ-a Protestant church organ
lzatlon-has expressed itself on the
subject and doubtless will express it
self again. The moral forces of America
will continue to be stimulated and
heartened by the fidelity of all church
groups to principles of justice rather
! than expediency even though the ques-
tions are delicate and difficult.
Excerpts From Declaration.
Here are some significant extracts
from the statement of the Catholic
bishops:
II public opinion is Indifferent or
unlnformed, we shall run the risk of a
bad peace and perhaps return to the
tragedy of power politics which In the
past divided nations and sowed the
seeds of war
This war came largely from bad
education. 1t was not brought on by
primitives or unlettered peoples. The
contemporary philosophy which asserts
the right of aggression is the creation
OF scholars. Discarding moral PRINCIPLES
and crowding God out of human life.
scholars produced the monstrous philos-
ophies which, embodied in political and
| social systems, enslave human reason
and destroy the consciousness of innate
human rights and duties. ..s
We have no confidence in a peace
which does not carry into effect, with
| out reservations or equivocations the
principles of the Atlantic Charter. We
| 1eel, too, that 1t should provide assist
! ance Tor prostrate nations in recon-
structing their economic, social and po-
htlcal institutions. If justice Is COM
/ promised, II unreasonable concessions
are made to might, grievances will
rankle in the bosom of aggrieved ma
tions to endanger the peace of the
world =
THE theology of a nation in its in
ternal life is concern of the inter-
national community. To reject this
| principle Is tantamount to maintaining
that the violation of the innate rights
OF men in country by its own govern
ment has no relation to world peace,
| just at this moment in the interest of
world peace, our Nation is exerting itself
| to root out some ideologies which violate
human rights in the countries we are
| liberating. We hold that if there is to
be genuine and lasting world peace,
the international organization should
demand as a condition of membership
that every nation guarantee in law and
respect in fact the innate rights of men.
families and minority groups in their
civil and religious life.
Surely our generation should know
That tyranny in any nation menaces
world peace. A nation which refuses to
accord to its own people the full enjoy
ment of innate human rights cannot be
relied upon to cooperate in the inter-
national community for the mainte-
nance of peace which is based on the
recognition of national freedom. Such
a nation will pursue its own selfish in
ternational policies. while paying fp
service to international cooperation.
| 80
| While 1t is reasonable to set up a
security council with limited member
ship, this council must not be an in
strument for imperialistic domination
| by few powerful nations Before it
/ every nation must stand on its rights
and not on its power. 1t must not allow
any nation to sit In judgment in its
own case"
Irrespective of ones own religion or
creed, the statement of the Catholic
bishops will be looked upon as a distinct
contribution to the discussion of world
peace plans. In attendance at the meet
ing which approved the declaration were
lo3 bishops from all parts of the United
States and on the administrative board
which signed the document were seven
archbishops, including Archbishop Spell
man Of New York who has been en-
trusted with various special missions by
| President Roosevelt.
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