Prayers and Pleas for Justice at San Francisco

American and Portuguese Bishops on the Issues
Prayers for the success of the San Francisco Conference and pointed warning against any compromise with justice on the part of the delegates, concern with the rights of small nations, particularly instanced are Poland and Lithuania as test cases, and strong reminders of the necessity of basic decisions on the natural law, are all ineor. punned in statements which have emitted from the American Hierarchy and from the Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon this week.
In San Francisco, meeting-place of world elegates, Archbishop Mitty was celebrant at a Solemn Pontifical High Mass, in the Civic Auditorium, attended by many of thc nations' representatives,
" The United Nations Conference on International Organization is now holding its sessions in the city of San F ranetsco," At chhishop Mitty declared in an official message to the priests. Religious and laity in his archdiocese. The peace of the world depends on the decisions of the Conference. After the terrific toll of this world wat in millions of dead and wounded, in bombed cities, in destroyed homes, in bereaved families, and after the tremendous sacrifices of many millions of people, there is a universal longing for enduring peace among all nations." . Pointing out that His Holiness Pope Pius.X11. ' has spoken out to the whole woad on many occasions, presenting a proerannue for enduring peace," and that the Bishops of the United States have issued statements on —International Order," and " Organising WOIld PORCC," Archbishop Miuy said that many other religious and national organizations have also manifested a heartfelt desire for international organization to bring about enduring peace.
BOSTON —LITH UAN IA
Pcayers that God may save Lithuania " from losing her identity among the nations of the world " were offered by the Most Rev. Richard J. Cushing, Archbishop of Boston, during services attended by 2,500 Lithuanian-Americans in die Cathedral of the Holy Cross.
America is the only hope for Lithuania, the Archbishop mid. " The people of the United States are opposed to predatory activities, no matter whether they arc carried on by the use of force or by threat of force," he added. " They arc likewise opposed to any form of intervention on the part of one State, however powes-ful, in the domestic concerns of any other sovereign State, however weaC" Archbishop Cushing said that he .was struck by the " ominous silence" of the Three Great Powers in current peace discussions regarding the fate of Lithuania, Esthonia and Latvia, and expressed the hope that when the final peace treaty is trained and approved, " it will not be recorded that our country ,condoned the enslavement of these freedom-loving nations."
" Lithuania is being sovietized," the Archbishop said, " and is suffering from a famine. Taousands a her people have died from starvation. More than 200,000 have been deported. The Soviet puppet president boasted that 83,000 Lithuanians voluntarily left for work in the Soviet Union. The immediate future is dark with foreboding. By an obvious act of aggression, without legal foundation or moral justification, Lithuartia has temporarily, at least, lost her independence. Probably God alone can save Lithuania."
Sunday, April 29, was designated by
of prayer throughout the Archdiocese for the favourable outcome of the deliberations at San Francisco.
HIERARCHY'S STATEMENT PRAISED
Lauding the statement On Organizing World Peace," issued by the Administrative Board of the National Catholic Welfare Conference, a letter from Senator Arthur H. Vandeberg, of Michigan, a member of the American delegation to the San Francisco Confetence, to the Archbishop of Detroit and Chairman of the Administiative Board, decries the absence of the word " justice " from any portion of the Dumbarton Oaks Charter and pledges his efforts towards remedying this omission.
Senator Vandenberg expresses agreement with the Administrative Board on the proposal to vest in the international organization the authority to make Changes in peace settlements and other treaties, and observes lie also is in
• complete agreement " with the stand taken by the Board on the Polish situation as created by the Yalta Conference. Senator Vandenberg also states that he is in agreement with the Board's adverse comments on the " voting agreements " concluded at Yalta.
" Your comments regarding Poland, for example, find me in complete agreement. We have not won this war if its original and immediate cause is lost in what we choose to call a subsequent victory."
PORTUGAL—POLAND
Mgr. D. Manuel Gonslaves Cerejeira, the Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon, has published a Pastoral Letter, &streets from which follow : " Since the Gospel confirmed our natural laws we must affirm that the well-being of the international community can only be efficaciously achieved through a system that has at its base the Christian prineiples. In the meantime the principles of justice and charity should find a guarantee in international organisations and institutions. The unsuccessful attempts are not sufficient reason to lose hope—they are stepping stones towards a flew world." D. Manuel Cerejeita end : " Christian conscience knows ,very well that the international atmosphere is poisoned by ideologies and feelings of pagan origin and character. It also knows that the best juridical and political organisation will always depend upon the goodwill of man. The mission of all Christians is therefore to bdild and elevate public conscience. This projected work is hard. It is sufficient to bear in mind the scandal of the absence of Poland—the first victim of this war —from the assembly of nations which is working to end wars. The light and strength of the Holy Spirit are necessary to the men who are going to build