Evening star., 1948-03-30
Church Council Hits
UNIT Plan at Hearing;
Quarantine Urged

would be more effective than
universal military training and
selective service in safeguarding
world peace, an official of the
Federal Council of Churches de-
clared at Senate Armed Service
Committee hearings today.
UNIT was attacked as being con-
trary to common sense and morally
unjustified. by spokesman for the
National Council Against Conscrip-
ton earlier today. The witness
Prof. Alonzo M. Myers of New York
University, declared UNIT would
promote spirit Of aggressiveness
in American youth and eventually
In the American people"
I'VE cannot win a world ideolog-
ical struggle by aping totalitarian
countries" Prof. Myers said.
Alternative Proposed.
Instead of trying to out-match
Russia in massed men under arms
he urged an increase in air power
and more billions for scientific re-
search and development of weapons
He also called for greater support
for the United Nations.
Walter w. Van Kirk, executive
secretary Of the Department of In
ternational Justice and good Will of
the Federal Council of Churches
suggested that the world crisis "can
best me met by accelerating the eco
nomic and social recovery OF Eu-
rope and Asia
He said the Federation supports
the European Recovery Program but
believes that UNIT would divert the
energies and resources of the
United States from the primary
task of world reconstruction.
Opposed for Moral Reasons.
After suggesting a moral quar-.
antine" against aggressors, he said
the Federation opposes UNIT "prin.
cipally for religious and moral rea-
sons and on deep-seated grounds Of
Amerlcanism."
1T has been the genius of oul
democracy to rely on home, church
and school for training in mora
discipline and the responsibilities OF
citizenship" Mr.. Van Kirk said
I'VE have doubts with regard to the
moral consequences OF taking i'm
mature youths from normal rela.
tionships in the family, church and
community and putting them in
abnormal communities"
Spokesmen for the Northern Bap-
tist Convention and the Methodist
Church opposed UNIT. The Rev
Donald B. Cloward, executive sec
retary of the Council on Christian
Social Progress OF the National Bap-
tist Convention. described UNIT as
a violation of religious freedom
and a menace to our way of life"
He said it would project the
United States into a lone wolf role
as the police department of the
world"
Disarmament Plan Urged.
Charles F. Boss, jr.. executive Sec
retary of the Commission on World
Peace of the Methodist Church, rec
commended that the United States
Immediately lay before the United
Nations a plan of worldwide
disarmament and abolition of mill
tary CONSUMPTION by all nations.
The Rev. Huber F. Klemme OF
Cleveland, representing the Evan.
gelical and Reformed Church, also
appeared In opposition to UNIT. He
said it was based on two question
able assumptions: First, that war is
inevitable and, secondly, that con-
scription is defense against war.
IF our problem Is dealing with
aggression or interference by one
nation in the internal affairs of
another, our recourse should be the
United Nations" he said, but if
our concern is the spread of COM
munism, then realism bids us rec
ognlze that we cannot stop an ideal
by force"
Miss Olive H. Huston, executive
secretary of the National Fedora
tion of Business and Professional
Women's Clubs, indorsed UNIT. Her
organization, she said. believes the
proposed program would repay
dividends to our young citizens
and is far more preferable than try
ing to maintain a large and ex-
pensive military establishment.