CAUSES OF WAR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23618, 30 March 1940, Page 17

CAUSES OF WAR

TALKS AT TRAVEL CLUB RETURN TO CHRISTIANITY CO-OPERATIVE ECONOMY A summary of tlie five points maclo by Pops Pius XII. as being essential to tlio restoration of a permanent and lasting peace was given by the Rev. Dr. Terry in an address to members of tlie Travel Club yesterday morning. Dr. Terry stressed tlie right to lile and freedom of all nations, peoples, and ethnic minorities, and dwelt on tlio statement of tlio Pope that rules would never be perfect, and would be doomed to failure, unless the rulers were permeated with a spirit of goodwill toward all, and a thirst for justice. " At the outbreak of the war I heard people ask how it was that the world should have come to this after 19 centuries of Christianity," Dr. Terry said. " But is it fair to say that wo have had 1900 years of Christianity? Perhaps wo have this war to-day because people have failed to practise Christianity, because tho Christian faith lias been abandoned and rejected.

" People have gone back to the philosophy that brute strength is right," Dr. Terry continued. " The 21 years since the last war have been years of truce, not of peace, and in tho last two years this has boon a world of alarms. After this war wc want a permanent and lasting world peace, and we can all help to bring this about by convincing our fellow citizens that the faithful and persevering practice of the principles of tho Christian religion, a spirit of goodwill and a hunger for. justice, is the only hope for this." An address was given later by Mr. E. Ij. French, secretary of the Christian Peace Co-operative Conference committee. This conference, which is planned to take place in September of 1911. was not to be in any way connected with the political governments of different countries, but purely _ a people's conference, Mr. French s_aid. Political methods had been rejected by tho conference committee because they had failed throughout four centuries, defining peace in terms of suspended hostilities. . Economics controlled politics, and all wars were caused largely by changes of economic balance, Mr. hrench continued. The approach to these problems to be taken by tho conference was the result of much examination of the causes of war, and were to be dealt with from the three bases of Christianitv. pence and co-operation. 'Mrs. Victor Mucky presided.