TURNING THE OTHER CHEEK.

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 141, 2 July 1937, Page 4

TURNING THE OTHER CHEEK.

u For me to use fdrce to prevent an atfcack upon a child or mvalid is one thing. It is quite another thing to raise armies to flght armies, even when it is confessedly to protect an unprepared people," writes the Rev. Frank H. Ballard, M.A., in his book, " The Desire of All Nations." " Diplomacy has such a bad reputation that I eannot be sur6 that I am in possession of all the necessary facts for a true judgment to be made. I protested indignantly — we all did — when Bernhardi, in his notorious book, " Germany and the Next "War," which most of us read in 1914,-*calmly said that Christian ethic did not apply to nations. I protest still when the same thing is taught in other countries. " Christian principles must be applied to world affairs as well as personal affairs if Christ's kingdom is to be established in the earth. But I am frankly suspicious of the news that is doled out to us and the case that is prepared for us; and it seems to me that before the Church can bless any appeal to arms, all doubts about secret eommitments -or national interests must be removed. "An instinct that I cannot silence, and I think ought not to be silenced, assnres me that we ought to be as ready to defend weak nations as we are to run to the help of individuals attacked by footpads. But first we must be absolutely persuaded that the supposed nation is the real one, and that there are no imperialistic or economic ambitions concealed behind high-sounding professions." * \ *