U.S. Condemned By Churches

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31120, 25 July 1966, Page 13

U.S. Condemned By Churches

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

GENEVA, July 24.

The World Council of Churches social conference voted overwhelmingly yesterday to condemn “the massive and growing American military presence in Vietnam.”

More than 400 church and lay leaders, including a large block of American delegates, passed the resolution by a near-unanimous show of hands saying that United States action in Vietnam “cannot be justified.”

The action came as a group of Americans attending the conference independently called on President Johnson to prevent any reprisals against North Vietnam for treatment of American prisoners held there, A.A.P.Reuter reported, “We deplore any suggestion that we lay waste the cities of North Vietnam,” the 73 American participants said in a cable to President Johnson.

“Acts of vengeance are abhorrent to Christian conscience and inimical to national and world interest.” A top American told the conference today that church pronouncements were helping to prevent runaway escalation of United States foreign policy. Dr. Eugene Carson Blake, General Secretary-elect of the world council, was speaking at a world conference on how the Christian church can contribute to the transformation of society. Dr. Blake, until recently State Clerk of the United

Presbyterian Church in the United States, said that public pronouncements by the church did affect society, both immediately and in the long term. He told more than 400 delegates from 80 countries: “In 1966 it is clear that the statements of the World Council of Churches, and of the National Council of Churches In my country are, even if as yet unsuccessful in determining policy, nevertheless an important contribution to that corrective criticism of United States foreign policy to keep it from runaway escalation.”