Evening star., 1950-02-06
Dean Suter Asks
R-Bomb Day
OF Repentance
Urges Examination
Of National Aims on
Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday
A Washington clergyman ha.
urged President Truman to pro.
claim February % as a "day o1
national repentance" dedicated tc
"soul-searching" on the hydrogen
bomb.
Dean John Wallace Suter CT
Washington Cathedral said in his
sermon yesterday that the day
which is Ash Wednesday as well
as Washington's Birthday-shoulo
be the occasion "for a re-examina-
ton of our national aims IL. the
context of world history"
The dean personally delivered q
letter containing his suggestion al
Blair House Saturday, he dis.
closed later
Symbol of Destruction"
The H-bonb, Dean Suter warned
In his sermon, ''hangs like a pal
over what we call our civilization
and threatens to make America "s
nation of slaves" He labeled it {
terrible symbol of destruction.
I'VE stand at the crossroad!
where we cannot see ahead, where
the road is full of obstacles ane
oyerhung with a defeatisn
wherein our cherished conception
of the entire physical world may
become obsolete" he asserted. "Al
must agree that this is time fol
honest soul-Searching, for a re-
view of motives. for a restatement
of aims"
Both Church and State" should
Join in the February % observ-
ance. which will release, into our
sick and sadly confused world, in
calculable reserves of moral and
spiritual power" Dean Suter
urged.
Day of Double Significance.
Ash Wednesday marks the
opening of Lent. It has been a
day of fasting and spiritual medi-
tation for Christians for centuries
the dean pointed out. The day
will have ''double significance
as the birthday of George Wash
ington, who repeatedly dedicated
our nation to God" he. declared
Dean Suter devoted much of hi
sermon to pointing out the peril
of reliance on the H-bomb. He
declared that while Americans
possibly are better trustees thar
the Russians, we aren't gooe
enough to WELD so much destruc-
tive power"
He attacked the argument that
"the end justif1es the means" as
a "half-truth," warning that "ii
we become a nation of slaves in
order to acquire the efficiency
necessary to win a bomb war, the
end would have changed. We
would be incapable of recapturing
that freedom, which was the goal
we set out for"
The dean praised the proposal
by Chairman Mcmahon of the
Congressional Joint Atomic Energy
Committee for a worldwide
peace crusade" and urged all
Christians to pray for the Rus
slams not that their will, but that
Gods, be done in them.
Only if that prayer is granted
will the earth be a fit habitation
either for our enemy or for our
selves" he asserted.
Others Voice Concern.
Concern about the H-bomb also
was voiced in other Washington
pulpits yesterday. The Rev. A.
Powell Davies of All Souls Unitar-
ian Church pointed out that the
decision to make the bomb was
made without consulting Congress
or the country at large.
AS to the decision itself, most
- OF us are not opposed to it. We
trust the President" DR.. Davie.
declared. But he warned:
I'VE are losing a considerable
amount of our freedom"
DR.. Davies continued agains
increasing mistrust of our lead.
ers" and suggested that insteae
OF trying to preserve "delusiv,
secrecy" it might be better t,
trust the American people ane
the free peoples of the world with
the realities and give them {
chance. to decide what they arr
willing to do"
Called Immortal Thine.n
DR.. Orris G. Robinson at Cal.
vary Methodist Church declared
that "our danger is becoming q
nation of small frightened minds. >
Labelling the bomb an "immoraI
thing" he said I'VE are badly
fooled" if we expect it to brins
security and that new an.
proach" should be found for an.
pealing for world cooperation.
DR.. Daniel w. Justice of st
Luke's Methodist Church declared
there is more security in Got
than in bombs" He urged turn
ing back to the Old Testamen
prophets" for spiritual guidance
AT National City Christia,
Church. DR.. J. Warren Hasting
declared the spiritual power Q
the Christian religion is stronge
than either the atom bomb or tn
hydrogen bomb.'
Committee Action DeIaye,