Pope’s Warning Against Effects Of H-Bombs

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27631, 12 April 1955, Page 13

Pope’s Warning Against Effects Of H-Bombs

VATICAN CITY, April 10. The Pope today called oh statesmen of East and West to make a sincere effort to “reach a lasting understanding.” He said that East and West should arrange treaties which would ensure peace throughout the world. The nations should start progressive disarmament and thus spare humanity the destruction of a new war. Speaking from the balcony of the Basilica of St. Peter, the Pope was wildly acclaimed by 500,000 people, including foreign pilgrims from all over the world. The crowd in the colonnaded space before the Basilica of St. Peter sank to its knees as the Pontiff raised his right arm in the solemn act of Benediction. The great crowd made the Sign of the Cross as the Pope chanted the formula of the Apostolic Benediction, “Urbi et orbi” (to the city of Rome and th? world), and then rose to its feet in a frenzy of cheering. For nearly a minute the frail white figure of the Pontiff remained on the balcony, waving to the sea • of faces below him, while the people yelled, “Long live the Pope” in a dozen languages and fluttered hundreds of thousands of handkerchiefs and scarves in greeting. The Pope issued a solemn warning against the dangers of provoking sterility in mankind or of damaging parental genes by reckless use of radioactive sources. "We must again raise our voice of

warning against the dangers, which the science of genetics foresees as possible, when that mysterious something, which is deep down in every living thing, is handled recklessly or subjected to a violent change of habitat by a cause such as, for example, an increased radioactivity in the face of a yet unknown margin of biological security,” he said. “The horrors of monstrous offspring and, worse still, the hidden shocks caused to parental genes, would then give an indication of the revolt of Nature against such violence.” He invoked God’s help for scientists in exploiting the numerous types of radiation now at the disposal of humanity, so that they might help to resolve the food problem of world. Giving his blessing to all the world, the Pope particularly spoke of “those whose activity has a decisive influence on the good of humanity and the salvation of souls.” He added: “We bless them, so that they may not close but rather open wide the gates to God’s work —so that, sincerely prepared to reach a lasting understanding, they may, throughout the world, arrange treaties which will start a progressive disarmament and thus spare humanity the destruction of a new war.” , , . He made an eight-minute speech into two silver microphones on the balcony. It was broadcast by the Vatican radio and relayed by 17 national networks in Europe. Radio Free Europe broadcast it to the Iron Curtain countries.