Evening star., 1947-08-28
Truman, Pope
.Assai| Threats
To World Peace
Moral Forces Must
Unite, President
Tells Pontiff,
(Tert on Page A-2.)
By the Associated Press

NoIAG, aug. Zo.-ln an eX-
change of letters made public
today, President Truman said
the worlds moral forces must
unite against those who seek to
destroy them" and Pope Plus
XII replied that peace was jeop-
ardized by nations which would
reduce men to serfdom.
The exchange was made public by
the Vatican and the Office of Myron
Taylor, presidential representative
to the Pope. The Pontiff received
the Presidents letter from Mr., Tay-
lor in an audience Tuesday and re-
piled the same day.
Il seek to encourage renewed
faith in the dignity and worth of
the human person in all lands"
President Truman wrote. THE
times demand faith that is strong
enough to struggle, if need be, for
the right"
The Pontiff's reply said:
"Once the state, to the exclusion
Of God, makes itself the source Of
the rights Of the human person,
man is forthwith reduced to the
condition of slave; of a mere civic
commodity"
Church Cooperation Pledged.
The Pontiff pledged "wholehearted
cooperation from Gods church" in
championing "the individual against
despotic rule: the laboring man
against oppression religion against
persecution"
Mr.. Truman's letter, dated August
s, declared:
Unless the moral forces of the
world now join their strength, dis
couragement must inevitably deepen,
and the strength and effectiveness
which thereby would be lost by these
moral forces would be gained by
those forces which oppose and seek
to destroy them"
The Pope's letter, dated August 26
from the pontif1cal summer resi-
dence at Castel Gandolfo, said:
I'VE hasten to express our salts
faction and thanks for this latest
testimony to the desire and determ-
ination of great and free people to
dedicate themselves to the noble task
of that peace for which all peoples
Of the earth are longing"
American Charity Cited.
The Pope continued:
THE munificent charity shown by
the American people to the suffering
and oppressed in every part of the
world s. = is a fair token of their
sincere desire for universal peace
and prosperity. The vast majority
Of the people of the world, we feel
sure, share that desire, even in
countries where free expression is
smothered.
God grant their forces may be
united toward its realization"
The President, declaring that "the
tasks now confronting us are for
midable," said:
II am privileged to pledge full
faith to you once again to work
with your holiness and with every
agency of good the world over for
an enduring peace"
"An enduring peace" Mr.. Truman
asserted, "can be built only upon
Christian principles. Except the
lord build the house, they labor in
vain who build it.
Aim "to Danish War;
"As Christian nation our earnest
desire is to Danish war and
the causes of war from the world
I believe that the greatest
need of the world today is a
renewal of faith. I seek to encour-
age renewed faith in the dignity
and worth of the human person in
all lands. The times demand faith
that is strong enough to struggle if
need be for the right
The pontiff replied:
"Orce the State, to the exclusion
of God, makes itself the source of
the rights of the human person,
man is forthwith reduced to the
condition of slave, of a mere civic
commodity . the order of God is
overturned; and history surely
makes it clear &" that the
inevitable result of the subversion
of order between peoples is war"