PEACE COUNCIL MEETINGS

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25934, 14 October 1949, Page 6

PEACE COUNCIL MEETINGS

“ POLITICAL PROPAGANDA TOO STRONG ”

“Political propaganda at peace council meetings was so strong that we thought it best <o withdraw," said the Rev. I. L. Richards, chairman of the Christchurch Diocesan Public and Social Affairs Committee, presenting the committee’s annual report to Synod last evening. Mr Richards said that the Canterbury Trades Council invited representatives from all interested bodies to organise a campaign for peace. Members of the committee attended and spoke at several meetings, because it was felt that this was necessary in order that the church's attitude to peace and war might be understood as clearly as possible, and in order that all people might see that the church was vitally concerned in the problems of nations. “At the meetings of the Peace Council it quickly became apparent that interests other than those of peace were at work.” said Mr Richards. Two resolutions were proposed to clarify the situation. One, in condemning conscription.«stated that the condemnation should be made to include conscription everywhere, including Russia, and the other stated that opposition to war should include opposition to war between classes as well as between nations. “The resolutions caused a lot of consternation. and were amended until thov were almost unrecognisable.” he said. "They wore finally liquidated, which meant that the majority of the Peace Council was not in favour of what our representatives held to be essential for further progress, so we withdrew our representation.” he said