The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1958-01-16
One Man Looks
At God
tBy Charles w. Carlson, Pastor,
St Marks Evangelical Lutheran
Church, Oakland Maryland.)

The peace Of INC world IS al
so neWhat precarious hope no mat
Ter what period of history we hap
pen to be considering. II seeems
THAI from the earliest times of re-
corded history man has been war
ring with man II makes one woa-
der whether peace is really a pos
Siblity or not When we recall the
theme OF Peace on earth to men
Of GOOD VIII" the theme Of the
season just celebrated. we could
sarcastically wonder whether this
was a promise that meant some
thing or not for the time since
that statement was made has Ger
tainly not lacked for wars and
rumours Of wars. In fact, ii seems
that the best use that we seem TO
PIT the period between wars to is
prepare for the next one. Any per-
son who has been reading the
papers lately is certainly aware of
that. Just recently we hear that the
budget for fiscal 1859 will include
some forty billions or more for
defense. One wonders just how
far we can go on the way to peace
when the sentiment of such a
budget seems to indicate a war
minded economy. | cannot see how
q 8-57 can be used in a peaceful
way.
Some arguments that we hear
say that the advances made in
research for weapons eventually
lead to useful good that can be
employed for the good of man.
Certainly we are thankful that
the wonderful techniques of sur
gerry used in World War II have
helped in peace time. But why
must we resort to war first??
Others say we cannot hope to hold
our place in the world unless we
are strong. This may be true at
first sight, but in the long run,
history has shown that any nation
which relies on mere power to
hold control of a situation eVentu- !
ally loses it. Christ has aptly sum- |
med up this type Of situation with
His statement: when a strong !
man fully armed, guards his own !
palace. his goods are in peace; |
BUT WHEN ONE STRONGER |
THAN HE OVERCOMES HIM,
HE TAKES AWAY THE GOODS
IN WHICH HE TRUSTED" We
can be no longer certain that we
are stronger than Russia nor if we
are at The present time stronger, |
how long this situation will last. !
The blow that was dealt to our !
prestige by Russia's achievements |
in satellite construction may never |
be overcome. and who knows what |
lies over the horizon of Russian
achievement? They have shown
US very definitely that they are
not the stupid backward nation
that we often think they are.
This all leads to the question,
at there another way out?' The
first way to answer this question
is to realize that our fight with ;
Russia. cold OF hot, is basically a /
war of ideolo9ies. not of arms. 1t
is matter Of deciding whether
dialcctical materiali5n is right, or
whether the system of a spirit |
founded. soul-valued. Christ cen
tered approach to mans problems
is right. We cannot hope to beat |
materialism by being material |
minded ourselves. And yet this is
lust what we do when we place |
our faith in the Things" Of de-
struction.
We must be ready and willing
to show the world that we mean
what we say when we claim that
their lives are important too. We |
must be willing to back pro- /
gram of mutual economic aid to |
nClp aid the underdeveloped |
countries of the world, and not
Just on the basis of whether they
will allow us to have bases for
our bombers in their countries, or
guided missiles sites, This is not
popular idea. Most congressman
seem to think it is all right for us |
but the four billions that will be re-
quasted for foreign aid has al
ready been attacked by the
representative from Mississippi |
who heads the House Appropria-
tions Committee for Foreign Aid.
Ii we show the World that we are
only willing to help them on our
own terms and not on the basis of
their needs, we will eventually |
complete the act Of suicide that |
has already been kicked well along |
the way by the America Firsters."
Our Father in heaven was not