EASTERN CHURCHES’ PEACE APPEAL

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26199, 24 August 1950, Page 7

EASTERN CHURCHES’ PEACE APPEAL

Archbishop Fisher Writes To Moscow Patriarch

(Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 7 p.m.) LONDON, August 22. A peace appeal made by the heads of the Churches in Russia, Georgia, and Armenia to support the cause of peace has been answered by the Archbishop of Canterbury (Dr. G. F. Fisher) in a letter to the Patriarch of Moscow. The Archbishop says that the call to-Christians everywhere to struggle against the menace of world catastrophe elicits an immediate response from his own heart. But before peace can be established between the nations there luust be accepted standards of truth, justice, and brotherly regard, by reference to which all nations govern themselves and judge one another. “All my fellow countrymen ate most earnest in their desite for a securely based peace,** says Dr. Fisher. He then recalls that the 326 bishops at the Lambeth Conference two years ago reaffirmed that war was incompatible with the teaching and example of Jesus Christ and called Upon governments to work for the final elimination of armaments of every kind, except those which might be necessary for international police protection.

It was recognised then, says the Archbishop, that until this was achieved there would be occasions when both nations and individuals would be obliged to resort to war as the lesset Of two evils.

The Lambeth Conference had also urged that the use of atomic energy be brought under some effective international inspection and control, so as to prevent its use as a weapon of war. “We must all earnestly hope that it will never be so used,” says the Archbishop. "At the same time, I do not think it is right or reasonable at this stage to suggest to the Government that the atomic bomb be banned

outright and unconditionally, hor must those who support such a suggestion think that they alone are fighters for peace.

“Moreover, this suggestion relating to atomic weapons isolates one aspect of the problem only, one weapon only out of all the possible weapons of rhass destruction, some of which are as frightful as the atomic bomb. “All StiCh weapons should be abolished in civilised States. But so should war itself, and huge armies, navies, and air forces are as great an anomaly in a civilised world as atomic weapohs.” The Russian churches’ appeal had mentioned the Stockholm peace manifesto. This manifesto came from the world peace conference held in that city in March, which was attended by leading Communists. It urged the prohibition of atomic weapons, with international control and inspection, and also pleaded for an all-found reduction of armaments by agreements among the Powers. In Britain, the Archbishop of Canterbury pointed out, there had been

numerous peace movements and manifestos of a kindred nature during the last 20 years, but some of them “have been associated With political activities, which were much to be deplored.” As an example, he said, the peace movement before the last world war was much encouraged by Hitlerite Germany in the hope that it would foster appeasement in Britain, and thus leave Hitler a free hand in Europe.

There was some evidence that the Stockholm manifesto might be used for political purposes, and that was why he had advised his clergy not to support it. But this in no way affected his underlying unity with the Patriarch of Moscow in a fervent desire for peace.