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Page 10—The Newberry Sun, Newberry, S. C., Thursday, February 9, 1967 CHRISTIANITY AND WAR What causes war? And, once a war has begun, may a ■ Christian morally fight in it? The solutions to these com plicated questions vary—de pending upon who is endeavor ing to give the anspers. In the current debate over the Viet namese struggle, Christians are on both sides of the ar gumentative fence. On one side are the Liberal churchmen. The World Council of Churches—purporting to speak for millions millions of individuals the world over— gives this simplified explana tion for the existence of war: “War between states results from the present disorganized and unjust political and eco nomic conditions of internat ional society.” To avoid war the Council suggests a global revolution, in which a share- the-wealth scheme would be run by an international body. Supposedly, then, all war would end. The Council forgot to men tion that an organization known as international Com- •munism is responsible for most of the war in the world today. The Red's history of aggression, subversion, and terror has had little to do with prosperity or higher wages. Victims of Communism end up worse off than they were before the Red “liberators” took them over. Other Liberal church lead ers, speaking of the war ir Viet Nam specifically, main tain that it is immoral for the United States to take part in the conflict. Some leaders even go so far as to suggest that the Viet Cong is in the right and those fighting against them in the wrong. What are conscientious Christian Americans to do in the face of such “leadership?” For one thing, they can listen tothe other side of the story. Unfortunately, however, the pages of the newspapers and magazines mention the other side with habitual infrequency. For this reason, the Manion Forum summoned to its microphone the Administrator of the Lutheran Churches of the Reformation, Reverend Cameron A. MacKenzie. “I think,” said the Reverend MacKenzie, “that the tragedy of our time is the fact that clergymen, supposedly spokes men for God, so willingly set themselves up as pundits on every question and problem— political, economic and social— as though they and they alone can solve every problem by a simple pronouncement indica tive of their supreme wisdom and superb understanding.” The Lutheran leader was asked by Dean Manion to give his own interpretation about the morality of war. MacKen zie said this: ‘ There are wars of offense and of defense. All wars of offense are Scripturally con demned, but God commands us to stand for the defense of our land and of our lives. “Communist government is absolutely illegitimate. It promotes crime; it steals property; it steals livelihoods in the countries which it over throws. It has stolen those countries and, therefore, just as you would have the moral right to get your own property back if you were forced out at gunpoint, so you are certainly right when you try to get your own country back. We must honor men who make the attempt to get back what belongs to them.” Readers who find them selves saying “Amen” to the TV Chimp is No Chump! He Shows You How to Reduce Risk of Heart Attack WANT TO REDUCE YOUR RISK OF HEART ATTACK? If so, Kokomo Junior has some timely suggestions for you. From left, the famous chimpanzee emphasizes the value of regular health checkups and control of high blood pressure, argues against cigarettes, recom mends a diet low in saturated fat and proclaims the virtues of regular exercise and of normal weight. Kokomo is helping promote the risk reduction pro gram of your Heart Association. It is one of the many activities supported by public contributions to the 1967 Heart Fund, being conducted here and through out the country during February. LOOKING AHEAD By Dr. George S. Benson BUDGET CEILING NEEDED Here is a fact that should shock every taxpayer i n America: Since 1930, while the population of the United States was increasing 60% and the per capita income 300%, cost of the Federal government was soaring 5,000%. On top of this is another fact that should ignite a second shock: Our bloated Federal government of 1967, already neck-deep in a floodtide created by financial irresponsibility, is plastering further mortgages upon present taxpayers and future genera tions with a demand for spend ing authorizations totalling ap proximately $170 billion next year (casl Budget estimate). And a wl ping 6% tax hike (now recommended) would make scarcely a dent in the big deficit accumulating. These are fantastic facts — any way they are measured or analyzed. They give graphic warning, when their full impli cations are recognized, of a governmental colossus arising to assert priority claim on our earnings, to dominate every vestige of our daily lives, and to endanger our future eco nomic welfare and even jeo pardize our personal liberty. “Jack-and-the-Beanstalk” Growth The “stewards” who have been running the Federal government for us since 1930 have not only built a Hydra headed bureaucracy sprouting ever-more bureaus (and a spending colossus) but have, in addition, amassed a staggering indebtedness upon present and future taxpayers. They have raised the public debt from $15 billion (1930) to $330 billion (today) — a very real indebt- ness of $6,000 on every family in America. The money-eating growth continues. Official statistics on Federal government employ ment (civilians) show that the bureaucracy was expanded by 100,000 new employees during the last five months of record — July-October 1966. The Federal government now em ployes (December 1, 1966) 2,964,687 people. That runs to about $20 billion a year ifi salaries alone! This is five times the total. 1930 Federal Budget (for everything, in cluding national defense, foreign aid, Federal “aid” pro grams, Post Office deficit, and all Federal programs). The people we’ve been elect- ing to Congress and the White Reverend MacKenzie’s words may hear more of them by ordering Broadcast No. 640 from the Manion Forum. House are not plotters bent on our destruction, or persons in sensible to financial facts of life. They are, generally speak ing, public spirited citizens who got into politics as a means of contributing to their nation’s welfare and progress. Much of what they have been doing is commendable. But the con centration of power of every description in Washington, plus influences and forces at work (some alien to our govern mental traditions) have com bined to create an atmosphere on Pennsylvania Avenue that too often leads good men astray, usually to play “Fol low the Leader” rather than to assert the kind of leadership necessary for sound govern ment decisions. Other factors are involved: The Federal Budget is the most awesome fiscal document in the world. Only a handful of persons have mastered its com plexities. The government’s fiscal and monetary affairs are today in constant disarray — with the Budget unbalanced, our Balance of Payments in the red, and such a national debt to manage. Add to all these problems the rule of “political expediency” which, in Washington, exerts the greatest power in so many actions, and we get at least a partial picture of the nature of the job. Three Needed Reforms The financial mess is going to get worse — and this is the people’s business, remember; financed with the people’s money — unless some drastic changes are made. If a few million citizens become suf ficiently alarmed to take ac tion, changes could bewrought, Here are three major changes that would go a long way to ward safeguarding our future. 1. A balanced Budget. It won’t be done until Congress enacts a law requiring it. It could include . permission, by Congress, to lift the barrier in national emergencies. 2. A ceiling on spending. Even with a balanced budget, wasteful spending would con tinue — unless a yardstick is established. A certain per centage of the national income might serve as a limit on Federal government spending, or better, Congress should set a top limit, beyond which Federal spending could not go. 3. An immovable lid on the national debt. To lift it should require at least a three-fourths vote of the House and Senate. Your representatives in Con gress ought to welcome your views on such changes. Oopi ! So you tik e our new Apnna iothei! course We're - of and more are coming daily Cdroenters Women's <=/ffxfiaxet 1 tbxy ^oo<L,