Evening star., 1948-11-22
Dr.. Guthrie Calls Spain
liberty-Loving, Hits
Vicious u. 5. Policy

4AAB 4tNNs La &AehASSA ~SeSAN~~~'
q. j., noted Jesuit philosopher, yes
terday defended Spain as liberty
loving nation and denounced our
Withholding of assistance and
friendship as - short-sighted and
vicious policy"
With an impiied appeal for the
resumption of dipomatic relations,
the dean of Georgetown University's
Graduate School warned an aca-
demic assembly in CASTOR Hall the
time may come soon when Western
civilization makes its last stand i'll
Spain.
Just back from a seven-week
visit to that country. the George
town dean spoke at the first con-
vocation of the Graduate School
since the war. 1t was attended by
about 500 invited guests, including
Don German Baraibar, Charge d
Affaires of Spain. The Very Rev.
Lawrence c. German, S. j., presi-
dent of the university. presided.
"viilain" Role Deplored.
DR.. Guthrie deplored victimizing
OF Spain by widespread advertising
as a villain" among nations, "a
sort of international Humphrey
Bogart." he said.
To-day we have an infallible
yardstick to measure the liberty and
independence of any nation, and
that yardstick is the hatred of the
Russian government and its de-
luded sympathizers." he added. I'm
that hit parade Spain is well out
front"
DR.. Guthrie told the audience
that misunderstanding of Spain
and the ideals for which it stands
"spring from an almost complete
stoppage In the intercommunica-
ton of ideas"
Actually, he declared. Spain
stands for the same essential ideals
we hope to see triumph in a dis
ordered world" The Georgetown
dean then made this appeal:
Vicious Policy Seen.
ITO refuse her assistance, to
withhold our friendship. to comfort
and abet her enemies is short
sighted and vicious policy, for the
day may not be distant when the
civilization of the West makes its
last stand on the peaks of the Py-
renes. In that hour it would be
well to have Don Quixote on our
side"
Another speaker at the exercises
was DR.. Louis j. A. Mercier, pro-
fessor of comparative philosophy
and literature In the graduate
school.
The philosophy of the founding
fathers of this Nation, he declared.
was belief in q personal God"
But in Europe the ascending phil
osophy was "unbelief in personal
God. and belief in self-existing
universe In constant evolution
through struggle" he said.
That belief, he declared, "led log
ically and inevitably to Nazi and
Russian totalitarianism, because 1t
left no basis for an eternal right
eousness above men and nations to
which they must conform their con-
duct and for the inalienable rights
which can only come from a God
given nature"
Bishops Statement Noted.
Dr.. Mercier warned that "the
greatest issue before us today Isl
Russian planned economy or drive
to power ." but whether our
academic importation Of the Eu-
ropean PHILOSOPHERS which bred to-
talitarianism will drive from our po-
litical circles the original theistic
American thought which bred our
freedom and dedicated us to the So
luton Of all questions on the basis
of q justice above men and nations,
because it is the justice of God ="
In opening the exercises. DR.. Gors
man, president, invited attention to
the statement of the Catholic heir
archy issued Saturday in condem-
nation of secularism-the exclusion
of God from the lives OF men. One
of the objects of Georgetown's
Graduate School, ne said. is to help
overcome that "inadequacy" in
Christian scholars about which the
Catholic bishops complained.
A reception in honor Of DR.
Guthrie was held In the Copley
Lounge Immediately after the exer-
cises. In addition to the Spanish
charge d'affairs, special guests In
cluded DR.. George Rock. dean OF
the Graduate School of the Catholic
University; the Rev. Philip Walsh,
S. j., dean of St. Peters College,
Jersey City. N. j., and Charles j.
Milton of Jersey City, representing
the GEORGETOWN Alumni Association.
Cushing Comp to Meet
Gushing Camp No. 30, Sons Of
Union Veterans Of the Civil War,
will meet with Ladies Auxiliary No.
EriSau II, the Uo ch.