"THE WAR IS OVER, BUT THERE IS NO PEACE"

Strong Statement by U.S. Hierarchy
The American Bishops have issued a very strong statement on the many unsatisfactory moral points about present international policies.
The statement, issued by the Bishops who form the Administrative Board of the N.C.W.C.
and who commonly speak on world affairs for the whole American Hierarchy, reviews the course of events since the Moscow Conference in 1943, and describes the pattern of peace as " disappointing in the extreme."
"There are profound differences of thought and policy between Russia and the western democracies," they state. "Russia has acted unilaterally on many important settlements."
They speak of the "ruthless setting up of helpless puppet States," of the need to recognise differences frankly, of the Baltic States and Poland's fate, and of the failure to deal constructively and Christianly with defeated nations.
The full text of the Bishops' statement is as follows:,
The war is over but there is no peace in the world. In the Atlantic Charter we were given the
broad outline of the peace for which we fought and bled and, at an Meal culable price, won a great martial victory. It was that ideal of peace which sustained us through the war, which inspired the heroic defence of liberty by millions driven underground in enslaved commies. It made small oppressed nations confide in us as the trustee of their freedoms. It was the brond outline of a good peace. Are we going to give up this ideal of peace ? If, under the pretext of a false realism, we do so, then we shall stand face to face with the awful catastrophe of atomic war.
Since the Moscow Conference of 1943, the United Status, Gicat Riede and Russia have undertaken to shape gradually the peace which they are imposing on the nations. From the eon. ferences of these victorious Powers there is emerging slowly their pattern for the peace. It is disappointing in the extreme. Assurances are given its in the announced peace principle's of our coarory, but so far results do not square with these principles.
We are in perhaps the greatest_ crisis of human history. Our country has the ,power. the right and the responsibility to demand a genuine peace, based on justice which will answer the cry in the hearts of men across the world. We want to work in unity with other nations for the making of a good peace During the war perhaps, it may have been necessary for strategic reasons to poslpone final decisions on many questions mooted III the conferences of the three Great Powers
RUSSIA AND THE DEMOCRACIES
Now we noet face the feels. 'Bete are profound 'differences of thought and policy between Russia and the Western democracies. Russia has acted unilaterally on many important settlements. It has sought to establish its sphere of influence in eastern and south-eastern Europe, not on the basis of sound regional agreements in which sovereignties and rights are respected. but by the imposition of its sovereignty and by ruthlessly setting up helpless puppet States. Its Asiatic policy, so important for the peace of the world, is an enigmnl.
The totalitarian dictators promised benefits to the masses through an omnipotent polite-State which extends its authority to all human relations and recognises no innate freedoms, Their theories, moreover, look to the realisation of world well-being as ultimately to be secured by the inclusion of all countries sin their system, Sometimes Russia uses our vocabulary and talks of democracy and rights. but it attaches
eistoried meanings rn tee words. Vvie
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