Evening star., 1959-11-22

among so many millions of the
worlds population. Poverty
hunger, disease and the bitter
: ness engendered by social in
justice is their common lot. En-
bittered by the contrast between
their own wretchedneSs and the
wealth of the rich and powerful
in their own lands, and between
the nations. they are ripe for
exploitation by both the Com
, munists and the extreme ma
tionalists.
/. Nor can we be unmindful OF
the plight of the millions OF
refugees whose present status
is a challenge to all who believe
! in freedom and peace. Victims
of totalitarian tyranny, deprived
of family. of homeland. of lib
erty itself, they pose no threat
to the peace and security of any
land that may be their haven,
But continued apathy to the
problem of their resettlement
is a reproach to the conscience
of the free world.
Obstacles to Peace-At Home
We must also recognize that
conditions at home which
threaten our moral integrity Sc
riously threaten the cause of
freedom and peace.
Our attention is directed to
the subversive and evil forces
that may undermine the moral
strength of the Nation. Chief
among these currently are ra-
cial injustice, laxity in home
life and discipline, preoccupa-
ton with the sensual, selfish
ness and self-seeking in econ
omic life, and the excessive de-
sire for wealth and ease.
The forces of religion in this
country face no problem more
pressing than the restoration
within our people Of respect for
the moral law as Gods law, and
the inculcation of those virtues
on which the soundness of fam
lily and civic life depends. Rev.
erence for Gods law, the keep
ing of His commandments, the
practice of self-restraint, of JUS
tice and charity will contribute
beyond measure to the strength
and unity of our country, which
are so essential for effective
leadership in the cause of free
dom and of peace.
Roads to Peace and Freedom
Although communism is the
overriding danger to peace and
freedom, our preoccupation
with communism should not
deter us from seeking to solve
other problems that may en-
danger peace and freedom. The
social and economic problems
of the world, and particularly
those Of Asia, Africa, and some
areas in Latin America pose a
twofold challenge that can be
met. In the first place, our
Christian sense of justice and
mercy impels us to do all that
we can to help those who suffer
from avoidable poverty, igno-
france. and disease. Secondly,
I'VE know that tensions engen-
dered by these conditions tend
to foment both militant ma
tionalism and Communist in
filtration. Hungry and desper-
ate people may grasp at short
range solutions in the effort
to compress within a few dec
AIDES a progress that elsewhere
took centuries.
i Our people have been gener-
GUS in responding to the ap-
peals of the afflicted victims
of war and famine. But the
needs of the world will not be
met by charitable aid alone.
The greater charity is to help
people to help themselves. Pro-
grams of education, technical
assistance. and developmental
aid, now being carried out both
by individual governments and
by international bodies. can do
much to build the foundations
for prosperity and peace in ma
tions suffering from poverty
and hunger.
In the long run. at least, the
cause Of peace and freedom so
intimately connected with the
independence of nations would
be better served if we could
rely less upon programs of gov
ernmental aid and more on
Iprivate investment and inter-
national trade adequately reg
ulsted for the good of all ma
tons. In view of such serious
problems as the pressure Of
population in some areas upon
resources, the world needs every
j element of cooperation and
good will to step up production
and distribution of food and
f1bers. The potential abundance
made possible by modern tech
nology should be made a re-
: ality, as a result of programs
inspired by our love of our fell
low man and the quest for
peace and freedom.
Conversion of Communists
In regard to communism, our
i goal is nothing less than the
conversion of the Communist
world. Our moral Judgment is
absolute: communism is god
; less, it is aggressive and bel
ligerent, it is unbelievably
, cruel. Witness the commune
. system in Chinal Hungary and
Tibet are but the more recent
: manifestations of its total dis
, regard for human rights and
. human dignity. Nevertheless,
!, conscious of Christ's example
and the infinite power of grace,
we pray for the Red persecu-
,, tors and for the prosecuted. We
wish no conquest except that
of the spirit. We wish those