(ed. Note-- While not necessarily agreeing with the views expressed by the writer, the Martlet feels that readers should see both sides of the political picture.)
A great deal of publicity was given in the press to the sessions of the Second World Peace Congress when Prime Minister Attlee threw an "iron curtain" around Great Britian in order to prevent the Congress from being held in Sheffield. But the unreasoning fear of the power of persuasion of the spoken and written word that led to the ban apparently prevents the same papers from printing the proposals adopted by the Congress at its Warsaw meetings.
Could it be that these self-proclaimed guardians of freedom and democracy are afraid that the free competition of ideas might show up the weakness of their arguments?
The Congress adopted a tenpoint program for peace which is worth summarizing. It is as follows:
1. A cease-fire in Korea with the withdrawal of foreign armies and discussion of the matter in the U.N. with Peoples China as a member; an end to U.S. intervention in Formosa and French military action in Viet Nam.
2. Condemnation of "attempts to break past agreements" by rearming Germany and sabotaging the demilitarization of Japan.
3. A declaration that attempts by force to maintain inequality among peoples and block their attempts to gain independence are a dangerous source of war.
4. A definition of aggression as the "first state which uses armed force under any pretext against any state," without qualification of political, economic or strategic considerations and without pretexts based upon the internal situation of any states.
5. Enactment by all countries of a "law for the protection of peace"--aimed at making the dissemination of war propaganda a crime of the deepest gravity.
6. A demand that an international tribunal examine Gen. MacArthur's responsibility for "ruthless measures" against the civilian population of Korea.
7. A call for unconditional banning, with strict control of atomic, bacteriological, chemical, and all other means of mass destruction; and that the first government to use such weapons shall be guilty of a criminal act. In addition, a meeting of the five great powers including Peoples China, to reduce armies and armaments from one-third to one-half within the next two years.
8. The re-establishment of normal trade relations between nations.
9. A wider interchange of cultural treasures and literature.
10. The establishment of a New World Peace Council, representative of all peoples of the world to carry forward the struggle for peace.
It is worth noting that these proposals would apply to all countries large and small, and to the U.S.S.R. equally with the U.S.A. They are proposals aimed at eliminating the present threat of war--they do not seek to impose the political view or economic organizations of one country on any others, but visualize countries of widely differing views living side by side in peace.
None of the problems of the world can be solved by war; but pious wishes for peace are not enough. Every individual has a responsibility for preventing war. What the World Peace movement offers is a realistic program for peace and an organization for carrying out such a program. In the words of Congress, "Peace does not wait on us, it must be won."
Archie McGugan for The Martlet, February 5, 1951, p.2. (Arc LH3 M3a)
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