Evening star., 1945-11-18
Bishops
Continued From First Page.)


Of the church. The signers are:
Samuel A. Stritch, archbishop Of
Chicago, chairman; John Gregory
Murray, archbishop of st. Paul, vice
chairman; Francis j. . Spellman,
archbishop of. New York, secretary
John Mark Cannon, bishop of Fire
treasurer: John j. NIFTY, archbishop
Of San Francisco; Joseph F. Rum
mel, archbishop of New Orleans;
Richard j. Cushing, archbishop of
Boston; James H. Ryan, archbishop
of Omaha; John F. Noll, bishop of
Fort Wayne, and Karl J. Alter,
bishop of Toledo.
Recognize Need for Unity.
The bishops said they recognized
the need for working in unity with
other nations, but added:
Russia has acted unilaterially on
many important settlements. 1t has
sought to establish its sphere of in
f1uence in eastern and southeastern
Europe, not on the basis Of sound
regional agreements in which SOW
ereignties and rights are respected
but by the imposition of it's SOW
ereignty and by ruthlessly setting up
helpless puppet states"
The statement said Russia S
Asiatic policy "is an enigma" Criti-
cizing the absorption by force and
artif1ce of the Baltic countries into
the Union OF Soviet Republics" the
bishops continued:
I'VE are shocked by the news
which Is leaking out from Slovakia
Croatia, Slovenia and other South
eastern European countries. Re-
ligious persecution which is both
brutal and cunning RACES in many
lands. No reason of policy justifies
our silence. What is happening be-
hinw the blackout of Eastern and
Southeastern Europe is a stark con-
tradiction to the high ideals which
inspired our fighting to save the
world from totalitarian aggression -
Allied Policies Criticized.
The statement was critical also OF
United Nations policies regarding
Italy, Germany, Austria and Hun
gary, declaring:
Whatever period of probation
must be imposed on the vanquished
nations, we must help them to take
their rightful place in the family
Of Nations. To treat them in q
spirit of vengeance is neither right
nor polite"
The statement said the United
States should provide the major por.
ton of relief for the stricken nations
of the world and stated that 1T is
imperative that Congress make ade.
quate appropriations for this work.
Text of Statement.
Following is the text of the state
ment, Between War and Peace,
issued by the Bishops:
The war is over but there is n,
peace in the world. In the Atlanti,
Charter we were given the broas
outline of the peace for which W,
fought and bled and, at an incal
culable price, won great MARTA
victory. It was that ideal of peac,
which sustained us through the war
which inspired the heroic defense O
liberty by millions driven under
ground in enslayed countries. I
made small oppressed Nations con
fide In us as the trustee of thei
freedoms. Twas the broad outlin
Of a good peace. Are we going t,
give up this idea of peace? If, unde
the pretext OF q false realism, W,
do 50, then We shall stand face t,
face with the awful catastrophe o
atomic war.
Since the Moscow Conference O
1913, the United States, Great Brit.
ain and Russia have undertaken Il
shape gradually the peace which
they are imposing on the nations
From the conferences Of these vic
torious powers there is emerging
slowly their pattern for the peace
It is disappointing in the extreme
Assurances are given us in the an
nounced peace principles Of ou
country, but so far results do no
square with these principles. W.
ere In perhaps the greatest crisi
Of human history. Our country ha
the power, the right and the respon
sfbility TO demand . genuine peace
based On justice. which viii answe