Evening star., 1950-02-06
Dean Suffer Asks
H-Bonb Day
OF Repentance
Urges Examination
OF National Aims on
Ash Wednesday

claim February % as a day Of
national repentance" dedicated to
"soul-searching" on the hydrogen
bomb.
Dean John Wallace Suter Of
Washington Cathedral said in his
sermon yesterday that the day
which is Ash Wednesday as well
as Washington's Birthday-should
be the occasion "for re-examina-
ton of our national aims III the
context of world history"
The dean personally delivered
letter containing his suggestion at
Blair House Saturday, he dis
closed later.
Symbol of Destruction"
The H-bomb, Dean Suter warned
in his sermon, "hangs like a pail
over what we call our civilization"
and threatens to make America "a
nation of slaves" He labeled it
terrible symbol of destruction"
Eve stand at the crossroads
where we cannot see ahead, where
the road is full of obstacles and
overhung with a defeatism
wherein our cherished conception
of the entire physical world may
become obsolete" he asserted. "All
must agree that this is time for
honest soul-searching, for a re-
view of motives, for restatement
of aims
Both Church and State" should
join in the February % observ-
Eance, (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. 1t has been q
day of fasting and spiritual medi-
tation for Christians for centuries.
the dean pointed out. The day
will have a double significance"
as the birthday of George Wash
ington, who repeatedly dedicated
our nation to God" he declared.
Dean Suter devoted much of his
sermon to pointing out the perils
of reliance on the H-bomb. He
declared that while Americans
possibly are better trustees than
the Russians, we aren't good
enough to WELD so much destruc-
tive power"
He attacked the argument that
"the end justifles the means" as
"half-truth.' warning that "if
we become a nation of slaves in
order to acquire the efficiency
necessary to win a bomb war, the
fend 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 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 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.. Davies
declared. But he warned:
I'VE are losing considerable
amount of our freedom"
DR.. Davies continued against
increasing n1istrust of our lead
ers' and suggested that instead
OF trying to preserve "delusiye
secrecy" it might be better to
trust the American people and
the free peoples of the world with
the realities and give them a
chance to decide what they are
willing to do
Called Immortal Thing"
DR.. Orris @. Robinson at Cal.
vary Methodist Church declared
that "our danger is becoming a
nation of small frightened minds"
Labelling the bomb an Immoral
thing" he said 1--WE are badly
fooled if we expect it to bring
security and that a new an
proach' should be found for ap-
peal1ng for world cooperation.
DR.. Daniel w. Justice of ST.
Luke's Methodist Church declared
there is more security in God
than in bombs" He urged turn
ing back to the Old Testament
prophets for spiritual guidance
At National City Christian
Church. DR.. j. Warren Hastings
declared the spiritual power of
the Christian religion is stronger
than either the atom bomb or the
hydrogen bomb.''