Evening star., 1949-03-10
Church PorIey Considers Plea
Delay Atlantic Pact Action

| 1Cl CIlCC, SpOIlSOIcU NY IIlc DepdTC-
ment of International Justice OF
the Federal Council of Churches
heard Charles Bohlen. counsel of
the State Department, address it
in executive session. Earlier in
the day a debate arose over the
question of admitting newspaper
men to the session, but Mr.. Bohlen
wass heard in a closed meeting
after Methodist Bishop G. Brom-
lev Oman of New York, chair
man Of the section, said the State
Department counsel had come
under those conditions.
DR.. Ernest Fremont Title, min
lister of the First Methodist
Church, Evanston, ILL.,, declared
the pending alliance might we'll
be "the rock on which the United
Nations will be shipwrecked."
Our frontiers will be extended
into the very heart of Europe and
our first line of defense will be
on the Oder and the at the North
Cape in Norway if the pact is
consummated." DR.. E. E. Ryden
Of Rock Island, ILL.,. editor of the
Lutheran Companion" asserted
THAT would mean these allies OF
ours would look to us for arma-
ments. 1t would mean we would
be. setting up a greater military
establishment than we now have
1t would mean we are embracing
military answer as the only
answer to the great problems
facing u.s.
But the Right Rev. Henry
Hobson of Cincinnati. Episcopal
Bishop of Southern Ohio, declared
unless more light comes to me
I will support it. Many nations
are in far less favorable posi-
ton than we, so far as fears are
concerned. These fears need the
assurance of the United States
that help will come from our
country so that they can main
tain their free way of life"
Oman Asks Senate Delay.
Delegates said Mr.. Bohlen dis
cussed the proposed North At
lantic pact along three lines They
stated he asserted the alliance
indicated a renewed security and
unity of the countries involved. 1t
further demonstrated that the
United States has a consistent
policy for participation in Euro
pean affairs and is not planning
on Withdrawal from those affairs.
Finally. delegates quoted Mr.
Bohlen as saying that in case of
active aggression the countries
would be able to operate their
military stats in a common sense
way.
At a press conference later, Mr..
Bohlen said no authentic" text
of the proposed pact has yet been
printed.
Bishop Oman called on the
Senate to delay action on the pact
so that the American people will
have a real opportunity" to de-
bate the question.
In the section dealing with
American policy in the Far East
the Rev. Garland Hopkins of
Washington, D. c.. of the Board of
Missions and Church Extension of
the Methodist Church, said 1.-The
struggle in Asia is an indigenous
revolution which has no alliance
either to the Western democracies
or to Eastern Communists
1T is a struggle to throw off
domination and to secure au-
tonomy and independence. If
either democracies or the Cons
munists offer help in securing
autonomy, that help is accepted y
he asserted, urging that "the
United States WELD its decisive
influence to aid these countries in
their fight for autonomy"
Discussion later today will be
centered on "the churches STRAIT
egy of world order education and
action" Findings of the con-
ference on all the issues studied
will be contained in message to
the churches" to be acted on at
the closing session tomorrow. All
actions by the sections are pre-
liminary to plenary action.