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Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20080, 28 October 1939, Page 5

BACK TO RELIGION

POPE ISSUES APPEAL ROOT OF PRESENT EVILS DISREGARD OF MORALITY DICTATORS CRITICISED (Elnc. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. Oct. 28, 12 noon) 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.” he continues, “the present evils can be traced to the disregard and forgetfulness of the natural law, wl ose foundation is in God After the denial of God comes the denial of law. The result is religious end moral agnostician, from which spring two pernicious errors, firstly, he forgetfulness of human solidarity and charity, and, secondly, the error >f pretending to absolve civil author:tv from dependence on. God, thus establishing the State as the final end in file.

"This State autonomy Is contrary to natural reason and Christian con--cicnce, since it reduces everything tc he level of utilitarian morality. But the rights of conscience are sacred md inviolable ”

Harming Prosperity

Referring to dictatorships, His Holi--.css said: “To consider the State ■omething ultimate and subordinating everything else cannot fail to harm he true and lasting prosperity of rations. War alone would not lead to a decisive change in conditions vithout peace treaties animated by justice and equity to all.”

The Pope .appealed for peace re f Tties to end the present war and avoid the sacrifices and suffering vhich hither’o fto bring lasting peace. International iu>v could not be torn from the anchor of Divine law vithout abandoning it to the caprice of private interests and collective egoism, thus opening the door to dorn’nation and force, and giving legal ■landing to accomplished facts inconsistent with treaties, and destroying confidence among nations.

Tnese conceptions had brought the world to the present horrible abyss. Since human expedients had miserably failed, salvation could only come rom the church

The Pope expressed sorrow for Poland and promised to do all in hit power to hasten, the restoration o: peace.