POPE’S ENCYCLICAL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23952, 30 October 1939, Page 8

POPE’S ENCYCLICAL

APPEAL FOR PEACE TREATIES CAUSE OF PRESENT EVILS MORAL STANDARDS LACKING (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) VATICAN CITY, Oct. 27. “The profound and ultimate root of the present evils is the refusal to accept a standard of universal morality for the life of the individual, for social life, and for international relations/’ declared the Pope in a 10,000-word encyclical. “In other words, the present evils can be traced to a disregard and forgetfulness of natural law. whose foundation is God. After denial of God comes denial of law. The result is religious and moral agnosticism, from which sprung two pernicious errors: first, forgetfulness of human solidarity and charity; secondly, the error of pretending to absolve civil authority from dependence on God, thus establishing the State as the final end in life. This State autonomy is contrary to natural reason and the Christian conscience, since it reduces everything to a level of utilitarian morality, but the rights of conscience are sacred and inviolable ” Referring to dictatorships, His Holiness said; “To consider the State something ultimate and as subordinating everything cannot fail to harm true and lasting prosperity among nations.” War alone would not lead to a decisive change in conditions without peace treaties animated by justice and equity to all. The Pope appealed for peace treaties to end the present war and avoid sacrifices and suffering, which had hitherto failed to bring lasting peace. International law could not be torn from the anchor of Divine law without abandoning it to the caprice of private interests and collective egoism, thus opening the door to the domination of force, giving legal standing to accomplished facts inconsistent with treaties, and destroying confidence among nations. These conceptions had brought the world to its present horrible abyss. Since human expedients had miserably failed, salvation could come only from the Church. The Pope expressed his sorrow for Poland and promised to do all in his power to hasten the restoration of peace. NAZI COMMENT ON POSITION LONDON, Oct. 27. (Received Oct. 29, at 6.30 p.m.) A message from Berlin states that Germany is in full agreement with the Pope’s view that unjust treaties should be altered by negotiation, which fits Versailles exactly. “ The Pope’s sympathy with the Poles is not surprising as they are Catholics, but he should have thought of the thousands of Germans whom the Poles slaughtered.” LITHUANIAN TROOPS VILNA FORMALLY ENTERED KANSAS, Oct. 28. (Received Oct. 29, at 6.30 p.m.) Lithuanian troops formally .entered Vilna, which becomes Lithuanian, SCOUTING PARTIES OUT (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, Oct. 28. (Received Oct. 29. at 11 p.m.) The evening French official communique says: “ There have been encounters of scouting parties at different points of the front. At sea our patrol boats picked up the bodies of German officers and sailors belonging to a sunken submarine.”