• - j 

P A M P H L E T N o . 15 

W A R A N D P E A C E 
I N 

SAINT AUGUSTINE'S 
D E C I V I T A T E D E I 

By 

Rev. F. E. T o u r s c h e r , O . S . A . , S . T . M . 
a n d 

T h e E t h i c s C o m m i t t e e 

A R e p o r t of t h e E t h i c s C o m m i t t e e 
P R I C E 10 C E N T S 

THE CATHOLIC ASSOCIATION FOR 
INTERNATIONAL PEACE 

1312 Massachusetts Avenue, N. W. 
Washington, D. C. 

1934 



Appreciation for their co-operation in spon-
soring this report is hereby expressed to Villa-
nova College, Villanova, Pennsylvania, re-
sponding to the Holy Father's appeal, "May 
they all unite in the peace of Christ in a full 
concord of thoughts and emotions, of desires 
and prayers, of deeds and words—the spoken 
word, the written word, the printed word— 
and then an atmosphere of genuine peace, 
warming and beneficent, will envelop all the 
world." 



W A R A N D PEACE 
In Saint Augustine's 

D E C I V I T A T E D E I 

S t u d y P r e s e n t e d 

to 

T h e Catholic Association f o r I n t e r n a t i o n a l Peace 

b y 

T h e Ethics Committee 

P R I C E 10 C E N T S 

T H E CATHOLIC ASSOCIATION FOR 
I N T E R N A T I O N A L PEACE 

1312 Massachusetts Avenue, N. W. 
Washington, D. C. 

S T . J O S E P H ' S P R I N T I N G H O U S E 

P H I L A D E L P H I A , P A . 



î * m f | S 
£ This is a R e p o r t of the Ethics Committee of t h e j 
i Catholic Association f o r I n t e r n a t i o n a l Peace a n d ; 
| is being issued as a S t u d y f r o m this Committee. 

I t was presented and discussed at the regular an-
nual meeting of the organization. T h e Committee 
co-operated in the final form of the R e p o r t and it 
was presented to the Executive Committee which 
ordered it published. As the process indicates, 
this R e p o r t , being the r e p o r t only of a Committee, 
is not a statement f r o m the whole Association. 

I 
Ì 

E T H I C S C O M M I T T E E 

Chairman 

R T . R E V . J O H N A . R Y A N 

R E V . J . C . B A R T L E Y , O . S . A . 

R E V . C H A R L E S P . B R U E H L 

R T . R E V . A L C U I N D E U T S C H , O . S . B . 

R E V . J O S E P H P . D O N O V A N , C . M . 

R E V » C Y P R I A N E M A N U E L , O . F . M . 

R E V . G R E G O R Y F E I G E 

R E V . A D O L P H D . F R E N A Y , O . P . 

R E V . L E O C . G A I N O R , O . P . 

R T . R E V . M I C H A E L J . G R U P A 

R T . R E V . W . J . K E R B Y 

R E V . W I L L I A M S . K R E S S , M . M . 

R E V . L I N U S A . L I L L Y , S . J . 

R E V . D O N A L D A . M A C L E A N 

R T . R E V . T . H . M C L A U G H L I N 

F R A N C I S E . M C M A H O N 

R E V . C H A R L E S C . M I L T N E R , C . S . C . 

K A T H L E E N M U R P H Y 

L O U I S J . P O T T S 

M I R I A M T . R O O N E Y 

R E V . J O H N K . R Y A N 

R E V . F U L T O N J . S H E E N 

R E V . F . E . T O U R S C H E R , O . S . A . 

O s a M e c f 



T h e City of God was w r i t t e n b y Saint Augustine to an-
swer charges of responsibility f o r the f a l l of Rome in the 
year 410. A f t e r the t a k i n g of Rome b y the Goths under 
Alaric the followers of p a g a n p a r t i s a n s were saying t h a t these 
recent losses and this final disaster must be traced" to the 
neglect of the old religion. T h e public honors f o r m e r l y paid 

I to the heroes and gods of Rome had been going out of vogue. 
T h e influence of Christianity had long been marked as a cause 
of this neglect. H e r e was a foreign religion, a s t r a n g e f a i t h , 
a new code of morals, another philosophy of life. T h e gods 
were offended. T h e f a l l of t h e City, the " r u i n of the w o r l d " 
was the proof of it. 

T h i s a p p e a l to p r e j u d i c e under cover of patriotism im-
plied a charge of " w a r g u i l t " against Christians and the 
Christian Church. T h e earlier apologists had been r e f u t i n g 
such charges since the time of J u s t i n and T e r t u l l i a n . Augus-
tine sums u p the illogic of the argument f o r the old religion 
in two t r e n c h a n t q u e s t i o n s : — " W h a t unreason," he asks, "to 
think t h a t Rome was entrusted wisely to such d e f e n d e r s ; and 
t h a t , if she h a d not lost them, she could not have been de-
f e a t e d ? Aye, more, what is this very f a c t of worshipping 
vanquished gods as rulers and defenders other t h a n holding, 
not divine beings t h a t are good, but omens t h a t are evil?" 

T h e answer to the p a g a n p a r t i s a n s , whom Augustine re-
g a r d s evidently as men of low ideals and little culture,1 is a 
piece of straight thinking on causes of war and conditions f o r 
peace. T h e stand is taken and held consistently t h a t proxi-
mate causes of w a r and conditions f o r peace are not to be 

f found in the old religion or the new. Religion is a philosophy 
of life. I t s whole aim has to do with the meaning of life, its 
p u r p o s e and its end and the r i g h t use of means to attain t h a t 
end. T h e causes of wars in the p a s t and the present have 
been tangible f a c t s recorded in the annals of Rome. 

A survey of seven h u n d r e d years of Roman history fol-
lows. This survey takes u p the first five books of T h e City 
of God. T h r o u g h this survey of history runs a double line 

i " Q u o s usitato nomine paganos vocamus." Retract. 11-43. 



4 War and Peace in the: City of God 4 

of r e a s o n i n g . F i r s t A u g u s t i n e shows t h a t i t would b e un-
sound a n d inconsistent in p r a c t i c e t o revive a religion, a p h i l -
osophy of l i f e , which h a d a l w a y s been in b a d r e p u t e , which 
was k n o w n to c a t e r t o low ideals, which f o u n d its s u p p o r t 
(in l a t e r times a t a n y r a t e ) in t h e p a t r o n s of t h e d e g r a d e d 
t h e a t r e , immoral a n d d i s g r a c e f u l h e a t h e n shows. T h i s r e a -
soning was s t r o n g , to t h e p o i n t arid p r a c t i c a l in t h e fifth cen-
t u r y . I t was even s t r o n g e r in t h e times of t h e e a r l i e r a p o l -
ogists. I t s b e a r i n g now on t h e m o d e r n p r o b l e m s of m o r a l i t y 
a n d ethics is i n d i r e c t only a n d r e m o t e . 

I n t h e second line of t h o u g h t A u g u s t i n e reviews t h e f a c t s 
of w a r a n d p e a c e in R o m a n h i s t o r y . T h e s e f a c t s a r e studied 
f r o m t h e s t a n d p o i n t of ethics. T h e r e c o r d s of t h e b u i l d i n g 
u p of e m p i r e a r e t a k e n o b j e c t i v e l y . T r i u m p h s a n d d e f e a t s , 
g a i n s a n d losses with t h e i r r e s u l t s a r e cited a n d quoted f r o m 
p a g a n a n d p r e - C h r i s t i a n sources. I n these f a c t s one s t a n d -
a r d of r i g h t a n d w r o n g in h u m a n conduct is h e l d out as t h e 
m e a s u r e of r i g h t a n d w r o n g in social a n d civic l i f e , in t h e 
C i t v - S t a t e s , in t h e P r o v i n c e s , in t h e F a t h e r l a n d of the a n c i e n t s , 
in t h e more r e c e n t w o r l d e m p i r e of Rome. 

T h e s e surveys of R o m a n h i s t o r y h a v e a p r e s e n t i n t e r e s t 
now. I n t h e m A u g u s t i n e defines a n d describes p r i n c i p l e s of 
r i g h t living. H e m a r k s t h e w a y of r i g h t t h i n k i n g about t h e 
m e a n i n g of l i f e . H e u n f o l d s t h e p h i l o s o p h y of r i g h t r e l a -
tions of men, individuals a n d social u n i t s of men to t h e m a t e r -
ial w e a l t h of t h e world, to b r o t h e r - m e n , to G o d . L a t e r on, in 
t h e n i n e t e e n t h book, he describes t h e ideal C o m m o n w e a l t h . 
T h e r e , of course, social j u s t i c e m u s t p r e v a i l , s t a t u t e l a w s 
m u s t c o n f o r m to t h e l a w of reason a n d t h e l a w of G o d . T h e 
res publico m u s t be one with t h e res populi. 

A f e w of t h e l e a d i n g t h o u g h t s of A u g u s t i n e on t h e ethics 
of w a r a n d peace will b e t u r n e d into E n g l i s h h e r e . T h e y a r e 
p o i n t s of f a c t a n d of l a w in R o m a n h i s t o r y in which A u g u s t i n e 
u n d e r t a k e s to show how t h e p r i n c i p l e s of h u m a n m o r a l s h a v e 
w o r k e d out in t h e p a s t . T h e r e c o r d e d f a c t s a r e t a k e n as 
premises in t h e a r g u m e n t to show how t h e same p r i n c i p l e s 
will w o r k out in t h e p r e s e n t a n d in t h e f u t u r e . 



War and Peace in the: City of God 5 

T h e o p p o n e n t s of C h r i s t i a n i t y a r e told p l a i n l y f r o m t h e 
t e s t i m o n y of t h e i r own. p h i l o s o p h e r s a n d h i s t o r i a n s t h a t t h e 
g r e a t e s t evils a n d d i s o r d e r s of t h e E m p i r e h a v e come, not 
f r o m losses in w a r , n o t f r o m t h e d i s g r a c e of this l a t e s t d e f e a t , 
b u t f r o m m o r a l w r o n g d o i n g , f r o m f a c t s of crookedness in t h e 
social a n d civic l i f e , in t h e p r i v a t e l i f e of t h e p e o p l e . . T h e s e 
f a c t s of p e r v e r t e d m o r a l s , A u g u s t i n e tells his c o n t e m p o r a r i e s , 
C h r i s t i a n a n d a n t i - C h r i s t i a n , have been t h e sources of t r o u b l e 
a n d u n r e s t , t h e d e s t r o y e r s of peace, a n d t h e causes of w a r . 

T h o u g h t h e d i f f e r e n t chains of f a c t s cited do n o t c h a n g e 
t h e m e a n i n g or t h e f o r c e of m o r a l p r i n c i p l e s , of r i g h t a n d 
w r o n g , t h e s e f a c t s will b e classed u n d e r t h r e e distinct h e a d s , 
a c c o r d i n g as t h e y a r e connected more or less d i r e c t l y with 
r e s u l t s in social, civic a n d economic l i f e . T h e r e is no i n t e n -
tion h e r e to i n f e r t h a t t h e theories a n d p r a c t i c e s of m o d e r n 
economics or civics w e r e recognized or t h o u g h t of as distinct 
a n d w o r k i n g sciences in t h e f i f t h c e n t u r y , n o r t h a t t h e f a c t o r s 
a n d t h e elements of these sciences w e r e t h e s u b j e c t of t h o u g h t 
a n d p r o b l e m s in l i f e a n d g o v e r n m e n t . T h e r e w a s t h e f a c t o r 
of h u m a n w o r t h above t h e values of m a t e r i a l w e a l t h . T h e r e 
w e r e skill a n d genius a n d h u m a n i n d u s t r y on t h e p r o p e r em-
p l o y m e n t of which t h e development of w e a l t h a l w a y s d e p e n d s . 
T h e r e was l a b o r , w h e t h e r of slaves or f r e e m e n , to be r e -
w a r d e d , if not b y a m o d e r n w a g e , t h e n b y some j u s t r e t u r n 
of food, s h e l t e r , r a i m e n t or other needs a n d c o m f o r t s of 
h u m a n living. 

T h e first a r g u m e n t t u r n s logically u p o n t h e p r o b l e m a n d 
t h e p r i n c i p l e s of m o r a l l i f e a n d conduct. A u g u s t i n e asks his 
r e a d e r s t o l e a r n f r o m h i s t o r y , to c o m p a r e t h e experience of 
t h e s e r e c e n t times with t h e f a c t s of e a r l i e r R o m a n h i s t o r y , 
t h e difficulties of peace times a n d of w a r which h a v e t r i e d 
t h e m e t t l e of good men a n d p r o v e d t h e v i r t u e s a n d t h e wisdom 
of those who d i r e c t e d t h e a f f a i r s in p r e - C h r i s t i a n d a y s . 

"Why are you touched by adversity," he asks his heathen op-
ponents, "why do you complain against these Christian times? Why, 
but because you want to be secure in your excesses, because you have 
a will to find dissipation in the most degrading morals, free from all 
check of restraint? You desire to have peace, and to abound in 



6 War and Peace in the: City of God 6 

plenty of every kind, not that you may use these good things de-
cently, that is, in moderation, sobriety, temperance, piety; but so 
that in brainless dissipation you may have unlimited variety of in-
dulgence; that, in consequence, from this very prosperity in tem-
poral things, those disorders may arise in moral life which are worse 
than the devastating cruelties of foreign foes."2 

T h e correctness of this l a s t s t a t e m e n t is p r o v e d b y citing 
t h e w o r d s of counsel s p o k e n in t h e R o m a n S e n a t e b y t h e 
v e t e r a n s t a t e s m a n , Scipio N a s i c a , who, p r i o r to t h e t h i r d 
P u n i c W a r , h a d w a r n e d t h e R o m a n s t h a t C a r t h a g e should 
not be u t t e r l y d e s t r o y e d . H e f e a r e d f o r Rome those v e r y 
d i s o r d e r s of social a n d civic l i f e which S a l l u s t describes in 
t h e h i s t o r y of t h e C o n s p i r a c y of Catiline. 3 

"After the destruction of Carthage, when the gTeat dread (the 
rival) of the Roman Commonwealth was crushed and destroyed such 
evils followed from material prosperity that out of harmony, now 
wrecked and broken, first, seditions and cruel plots were formed, 
then, by a chain of evil causes, followed uprisings in civil war, such 
bloodshed, such inhuman greed for conscriptions and spoils that those 
very Romans, who formerly, in the integrity of life, were in dread 
of a peril from a foreign foe, now were forced to experience things 
more severe and inhuman from their own fellow citizens." 

T h i s review of a n c i e n t t r o u b l e s in Rome, as o t h e r s which 
follow, is m a d e , not to s h i f t t h e b l a m e f o r " h a r d t i m e s " f r o m 
t h e C h r i s t i a n centuries to t h e p r e - C h r i s t i a n e r a . T h e " T u 
q u o q u e " a r g u m e n t is n o p a r t of t h e p l a n of T h e C i t y of God. 
F a c t s a r e s t u d i e d in t h e r e c o r d s of a n c i e n t h i s t o r y . T h e 
whole p u r p o s e is t o find w h a t w a s t h e m o r a l s t a n d a r d , w h a t 
was r i g h t a n d w h a t was Wrong in t h e conduct of t h e m e n who 
w e r e r e s p o n s i b l e f o r t h e f a c t s . T h e aims a n d t h e designs of 
men in peace a n d in w a r a r e followed a n d t h e ends a t t a i n e d 
to show t h e ethics of h u m a n conduct in t h e b u i l d i n g u p of 
t h e e m p i r e . 

A n c i e n t r i v a l r i e s a r e chosen, n o t because t h e y a r e w o r s e 
or b e t t e r t h a n t h e p r e s e n t or t h e f u t u r e , b u t because t h e y a r e 

-De -Civitate Dei. 1-30. 
'Bellum Catilinarium, cc. IX-X-XI. Augustine here gives the substance only of 

Sallust s text. 



War and Peace in the: City of God 7 

established a n d k n o w n as f a c t s . Rome a n d C a r t h a g e a r e h e l d 
out as t y p e s of p o w e r s w a r r i n g f o r domain. T h e fight is f o r 
control, a n d control is m a s t e r y over sources of m a t e r i a l w e a l t h . 
T h e t y p e s a r e r e a l . T h e y h a v e m a d e h i s t o r y . T h e y live in 
t h e w o r l d d r a m a of p e a c e a n d w a r . I n our c h a n g e d environ-
m e n t of m o d e r n times Rome a n d C a r t h a g e m a y b e viewed as 
symbols of p o w e r s a n d p r a c t i c e s t h a t a r e now c o m f o r t a b l y 
remote. I n t h e p e r e n n i a l s t r u g g l e f o r economic a n d i n d u s t r i a l 
s u p r e m a c y t h e y r e p r e s e n t s t a n d a r d s in h u m a n ethics t h a t h a v e 
not c h a n g e d . 

T h e r e s u l t of t h e fisjht beween Rome a n d C a r t h a g e was 
d e f e a t a n d d e s t r u c t i o n f o r one, u t t e r d e m o r a l i z a t i o n f o r t h e 
o t h e r . T h e lesson in h u m a n m o r a l s , in t h e p r i n c i p l e s of r i g h t 
a n d w r o n g , is p l a i n . A d v a n t a g e or d i s a d v a n t a g e in economic 
control is not a j u s t cause f o r w a r , w h e t h e r t h e r i g h t s con-
t e s t e d a r e between Rome a n d C a r t h a g e or b e t w e e n t h e most 
f a v o r e d n a t i o n s of t h e m o d e r n i n d u s t r i a l i z e d world.* 

ANCIENT NATIONALISM AND M A T E R I A L P R O S P E R I T Y 
I n t h e f o u r t h book of T h e C i t y of God, A u g u s t i n e d r a w s 

a p i c t u r e of t h e ancient, self-satisfied, m a t e r i a l i s t i c S t a t e . T h e 
p i c t u r e is, it seems, in p r i n c i p l e s a n d in f a c t s t r u e t o economic 
h i s t o r y . T h e p r i n c i p l e s a r e m a r k e d c l e a r l y in p a r a l l e l s of 
p e r s o n a l r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r t h e individual m a n a n d t h e w o r k -
i n g ethics of t h e o r g a n i z e d S t a t e . Social j u s t i c e in securing 
peace, t h a t is, t h e r i g h t living of t h e p e o p l e as a u n i t in t h e 
t r a n q u i l l i t y of o r d e r is t h e aim a n d t h e f u n c t i o n of t h e S t a t e . 
So f a r as t h i s aim is n o t r e a l i z e d , so f a r as it f a i l s or is f r u s -
t r a t e d b y selfish i n t e r e s t s a n d g r e e d , j u s t so f a r does t h e 
S t a t e f a l l s h o r t of t h e s t a n d a r d fixed f o r t h e ideal Common-
w e a l t h described in t h e n i n e t e e n t h book of T h e C i t y of God.5 

*"Inferre autem bella fmitimis, et in cetera inde procedere, ac populos sibi non 
molestos, sola regni cupiditate conterere ac subdere quid aliud quam grande latrocinium 
nominandum est?*' De Civitate Dei. IV-6. 

"Remota itaque justitia, quid sunt tegna nisi magna Iatrocinia?" Ibid. Cap. 4. 
""Pax hominis mortalis et Dei ordinata in fide sub aetema lege obedientia: Pax 

hominum ordinata concordia: Paz Domus ordinata imperandi atque obediendi con-
cordia cohabitantium: Pax civitatis ordinata imperandi atque obediendi concordia civium: 
Pax coelestis civitatis ordinatissima et concordissima societas fruendi Deo et invicem in 
Deo: Pax omnium rerum tranquillitas ordinis. Ordo est- parium dispariumque rerum 
sua cuique loca tribuens dispositio." De Civitate Dei. XIX-13. 



8 War and Peace in the: City of God 8 

" I would ask first briefly w h a t r e a s o n t h e r e is, w h a t f o r e -
sight in your w a n t i n g to boast in e x t e n t a n d g r e a t n e s s of em-
p i r e . . . so l o n g as you c a n n o t show ( m e ) t h e h a p p i n e s s of 
m e n . " 

" I n o r d e r t h a t we m a y f o r m a j u d g m e n t more easily on 
this p o i n t let us n o t lose ourselves in vain b o a s t i n g , let us n o t 
dull t h e keenness of u n d e r s t a n d i n g b y h i g h s o u n d i n g n a m e s 
when we h e a r : P e o p l e s — K i n g d o m s — P r o v i n c e s . L e t us t a k e 
two m e n . ( F o r as a l e t t e r in a sentence, so in t h e C i t y - S t a t e , 
in t h e E m p i r e , how wide soever m a y be its e x t e n t in t h e hold-
i n g of l a n d s , is e v e r y individual m a n a n i n t e g r a l p a r t of t h e 
S t a t e . ) L e t us t h i n k of t h e s e t w o m e n , one poor or in t h e 
common s t a n d i n g of l i f e , t h e other v e r y rich. T h e rich m a n 
is weighed down b y f e a r s , w e a k e n e d b y worries," r e s t l e s s ' b y 
r e a s o n of g r e e d . H e is never a t p e a c e , ever insecure. H e 
l a b o r s in never e n d i n g animosities. H e m u l t i p l i e s t h e m e a s u r e 
of his u n w i e l d y p a t r i m o n y b y t h e s e new cares b u t he also adds 
new t r o u b l e s b y e v e r y new acquisition of w e a l t h . 

" T a k e now t h e other m a n of l i t t l e a n d limited m e a n s , 
sufficient f o r h i m s e l f : H e is loved b y k i n d r e d a n d n e i g h b o r s ; 
he has a good mind, a sound b o d y ; h e is t e m p e r a t e , his h a b i t s 
of l i f e a r e c l e a n ; h e h a s a t r a n q u i l conscience. I k n o w not 
w h e t h e r a n y will be f o u n d so t h o u g h t l e s s as to h e s i t a t e in his 
choice b e t w e e n t h e s e two men. As in t h e case of these t w o 
men, so in two f a m i l i e s , so in two p e o p l e s , so in t w o n a t i o n s 
t h e same r u l e holds, a r u l e of e q u i t y , b y which, if our a t t e n -
tion is r i g h t , we shall see easily w h e r e v a n i t y is, w h e r e is t h e 
a b i d i n g home of h a p p i n e s s — c o n t e n t m e n t — p e a c e . " 0 

T h e s t a b i l i t y of t h e S t a t e a n d t h e common w e l f a r e , as 
described h e r e , a r e m a d e t o r e s t on t h e p r i n c i p l e s of m a n ' s 
m o r a l n a t u r e , on r i g h t living a n d t h e n o r m a l o p e r a t i o n of t h e 
laws of social j u s t i c e . E v e r y d e p a r t u r e f r o m t h e s e p r i n c i p l e s 
of our r a t i o n a l social n a t u r e is itself a d e p a r t u r e f r o m peace. 
I t b r e a k s t h e h a r m o n y , t h e " t r a n q u i l l i t y " of t h e " o r d e r " e s t a b -
lished b y God, t h e M a k e r of men a n d of n a t i o n s . 

9De Chilate Dei. IV-3. 



War and Peace in the: City of God 9 

R e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r such d e p a r t u r e s , also m e r i t f o r m a i n -
t a i n i n g t h e l a w a n d t h e order of n a t u r e , will follow i n e v i t a b l y 
in t h e individual conscience, in t h e l i f e of t h e body social, in 
t h e office a n d t h e f u n c t i o n s of t h e S t a t e . T h e r e , f r o m w i t h i n , 
more t h a n f r o m t h e f o r e i g n a g g r e s s o r comes t h e d r e a d evil of 
w a r , because it h u r t s t h e cause of j u s t i c e , which no e x t e r n a l 
f o r c e can t a k e f r o m t h e h e a r t of m a n , t h e individual, nor f r o m 
t h e n a t i o n t h a t so wills. 

"In this world, then, the rule of good men is given, not so much 
for themselves as for the common weal of men. The misrule of bad 
men hurts themselves more than it hurts their subjects because the 
evil of misdeeds lays waste the soul, while (the souls o f ) subjects 
are hurt only by their own wrongdoing. Whatever wrongs are in-
flicted on the just by iniquitous overlords are not penalties for crime, 
but the proving of virtue. The good man, therefore, though he 
serve, is free; the wicked, though he rule, is a slave, not the slave of 
one master, but of masters as many and as oppressive as are his 
vices.'" 

A u g u s t i n e ' s concluding t h o u g h t on t h i s p o i n t is summed 
u p briefly a n d w e l l : " T h e p o w e r s of t h e S t a t e , a p a r t f r o m 
j u s t i c e , a r e o r g a n i z e d r o b b e r y . " ("Remota itaque justitia, quid 
sunt regna nisi magna latrocinia?") T h i s is exemplified in 
t h e s t o r y of A l e x a n d e r t h e G r e a t a n d t h e P i r a t e , who, w h e n 
h e was asked w h y he h a d m a d e t h e sea so u n s a f e , r e p l i e d 
h a u g h t i l y : " F o r t h e same r e a s o n t h a t you m a k e u n s a f e t h e 
whole w o r l d ; b u t , because I do this b y m e a n s of one l i t t l e 
ship, I am called a t h i e f . You accomplish your aim b y m e a n s 
of a fleet, a n d you a r e s t y l e d E m p e r o r . " 

A C O M P E T E N T C O U R T 

T h e p r o b l e m of a d j u s t i n g f a c t s to existing conditions in 
l i f e a n d g o v e r n m e n t to p r e v e n t w a r , t o secure peace is a l w a y s 
a p o i n t of p r a c t i c a l difficulty. O n t h i s point t h e R o m a n s 
f a i l e d , w h e n , p r i o r to t h e t h i r d P u n i c W a r , t h e S e n a t e r e -
j e c t e d t h e counsel of Scipio, a n d followed t h e advice of Cato 

*De Civitate Dei. XV-3. 
•¡Ibid. IV-4. 



10 War and Peace in the: City of God 10 

in a decision which m e a n t w a r a n d finally t h e d e s t r u c t i o n of 
C a r t h a g e . S a l l u s t is t h e h i s t o r i a n of r e s u l t s which followed 
t h a t decision. H i s j u d g m e n t s on f a c t s of social a n d economic 
l i f e in Rome show us conditions of s t r i f e , in t h e i r m o r a l a n d 
ethical a s p e c t , worse t h a n w a r . 

L a t e r , when t h e c u l t u r e a n d p o w e r of C a r t h a g e h a d been 
c r u s h e d , when civic d i s o r d e r s w e r e less tense, a f t e r t h e ad-
vocates of f o r c e h a d first secured, t h e n lost t h e i r hold on t h e 
w e a l t h of t h e P r o v i n c e s , it is t h e C h r i s t i a n S a l l u s t , A u g u s t i n e , 
who p a s s e s j u d g m e n t on f a c t s a n d conditions of t h e times. 
L i k e S a l l u s t , he h a s described a n d h e p a s s e s j u d g m e n t on 
r e s u l t s of m i s r u l e in t h e S t a t e , t r o u b l e s f r o m w i t h i n , which 
h a d been sources of u n r e s t a n d t h e cause of w a r m o r e t h a n any-
f a n c i e d or r e a l s u p e r i o r f o r c e or a n y r i g h t of p o w e r s f r o m 
without. 

T h e p r o b l e m of m o r a l l i f e a n d economic a d j u s t m e n t a n d 
t h e need of effective m e a n s to secure p e a c e w e r e obviously, 
quite as u r g e n t when A u g u s t i n e was w r i t i n g T h e C i t y of God 
as a t a n y time d u r i n g t h e e a r l i e r C h r i s t i a n centuries or in p r e -
C h r i s t i a n times. W h y , it m a y be a s k e d , did t h e C h r i s t i a n 
idealist find no w a y to a d j u s t difficulties b y a r b i t r a t i o n , t o 
p r e v e n t w a r s b y m e a n s of C o n f e r e n c e s a n d P e a c e C o u r t s ? 

A simple a n s w e r t o t h i s question is—-He did. T h e question 
is f a u l t y , first, because it p r e s u m e s no i n v i t a t i o n to a court of 
a r b i t r a t i o n . Secondly, in looking f o r a , t e x t it loses sight of 
t h e whole logic of t h e w o r k of more t h a n t h i r t e e n y e a r s ( 4 1 3 -
4 2 6 ) . O n e aim of t h a t w o r k was t o define conditions a n d to 
m a r k t h e w a y to peace. T h i r d l y , t h e question ignores t h e 
f a c t t h a t C h r i s t i a n peace a r b i t r a t i o n s , t o decide questions of 
law a n d of f a c t in cases which were m a i n l y civil a n d political, 
w e r e a p a r t of t h e n o r m a l a d m i n i s t r a t i o n of t h e C h u r c h in 
t h e C h r i s t i a n E m p i r e a h u n d r e d y e a r s b e f o r e A u g u s t i n e ' s time, 
a n d f o r centuries a f t e r , on to t h e close of t h e M i d d l e Ages. 

As to t h e mind of A u g u s t i n e on a r b i t r a t i o n to p r e v e n t 
w a r s , it will be n o t e d t h a t in t h e first five books of T h e City 
of G o d is a series of c o n t r a s t s b e t w e e n , on t h e one h a n d , t h e 
C h r i s t i a n P h i l o s o p h y of t h e S t a t e , t h e office a n d f u n c t i o n s of 



War and Peace in t h e : City of God 11 

g o v e r n m e n t , a n d o n t h e o t h e r , t h e r e c o r d s of t h e o l d p r e -
C h r i s t i a n o r d e r . R i g h t t h i n k i n g on w a r s a n d on p e a c e is t h e 
a i m , n o t p r i m a r i l y n o r o n l y i n d e l i b e r a t i o n s of a s s e m b l e d 
c o u r t s , b u t i n t h e m e n t a l a t t i t u d e of t h e C h r i s t i a n c o m m u n i t y , 
t h e C i t y - S t a t e o r t h e W o r l d E m p i r e . 

T h e B i b l e , t h e N e w T e s t a m e n t i n p a r t i c u l a r , is c i t e d a s 
t h e c h a r t e r of t h i s W o r l d - C o u r t w h i c h a i m s t o l i v e t h e i d e a l s 
of p e a c e . 

"Let them read for us," Augustine says, referring to present 
promoters of post-Christian progress, "precepts against extravagance 
and greed given by the gods of the Roman people. Would that they 
had left unsaid only things clean and modest, and that they had not 
demanded what is wrong and shameful, to which is added the au-
thority of their fancied deities. Let them read, then, in the Prophets 
and in the Holy Gospel, in the Acts and the Letters of the Apostles 
many things well ordered and expressed for the people, who are as-
sembled everywhere for this purpose( to be taught how) to overcome 
greed and excesses. Let them see how divinely these things are 
spoken, not discordant from conflicting theories of philosophers, but 
as from oracles of God on high. And yet, when, before the coming 
of Christ, the common weal was at its worst, and guiltily so from 
the lusts and greed and cruelty and the degrading morals of the 
people, they imputed this not to their gods. Now, however, in this 
time, whatever has touched their pride and whatever their lustful 
living has had to suffer, the blame for it all is put upon the Christian 
religion."8 

A t t h e e n d of t h i s s a m e c h a p t e r , t h e p h i l o s o p h y of p e a c e 
is s u m m e d u p b r i e f l y a n d w e l l . W e a r e t o l d h o w t h e h a r d 
t h i n g s of l i f e ' a r e t o b e t u r n e d t o m e r i t a n d t h e p r o f i t of h i m 
w h o e n d u r e s i n p a t i e n c e . 

"But because one man heeds, another heeds not, because many 
are inclined more to follow allurements of vice than the hard way of 
virtue, the servants of Christ are taught to bear in patience what-
ever their position in life, whether holding authority to rule, to coun-
sel or to judge, soldiers or provincial residents, rich or poor, slave 

«De Civitate Dei. 11-19. 



12 War and Peace in the: City of God 12 

or free, of either sex—all are taught alike to endure the burdens of 
the State at its worst, if no change is possible.10 By this patient en-
durance in a heart of peace they acquire merit for themselves and a 
place in the court of the angels, in the Republic of heaven, where 
the will of God is law." 

T h i s , of course, is n o t a p l a n to r e f e r cases of d i s p u t e or 
of i n j u s t i c e to a world court of a r b i t r a t i o n . I t is n o t a p l a n , 
because it is more t h a n a p l a n . T h e p r i n c i p l e s of h u m a n con-
duct a n d r i g h t living a r e laid down on which a n y decision or 
a r b i t r a t i o n f o r i n t e r n a t i o n a l p e a c e m u s t s t a n d . I t is n o t a 
c h a r t e r f o r a select b o d y of p e a c e m a k e r s , b u t a p h i l o s o p h y 
of peace in p r a c t i c e , in its s i m p l e s t f o r m , f o r t h e d a i l y l i f e 
of t h e common p e o p l e in p a t i e n c e , love of j u s t i c e , r e s p e c t 
f o r c o n s t i t u t e d a u t h o r i t y , h u m a n h o p e f u l n e s s . I t p o i n t s to a 
s t a n d a r d of r i g h t living a n d p r a c t i c a l ideals which m u s t b e 
t a k e n care of in a r b i t r a t i o n s , in w a r a n d in p e a c e . 

As to t h e f a c t of peace c o u r t s in t h e e a r l y centuries of 
t h e C h u r c h a n y t h o u g h t f u l s t u d y of t h e p o l i t i c a l side of t h e 
h i s t o r y of t h e C h u r c h a n d t h e E m p i r e f r o m t h e t i m e of Con-
s t a n t i n e in t h e first q u a r t e r of t h e f o u r t h c e n t u r y to t h e close 
of t h e M i d d l e Ages will show w h a t was done b y synods, con-
f e r e n c e s of c h u r c h m e n a n d l a y m e n a n d courts of a r b i t r a t i o n 
t o a d j u s t a n d to s e t t l e p r o b l e m s of w a r a n d peace. 

T h e f a c t s in t h e h i s t o r y of D o n a t i s t t r o u b l e s in P r o v i n c i a l 
A f r i c a in A u g u s t i n e ' s time a n d d u r i n g n e a r l y a c e n t u r y e a r l i e r 
m a y be t a k e n as t y p e s of c o n t e m p o r a r y w a r - t i m e difficulties. 
T h e s e t r o u b l e s w e r e in t h e i r m a i n f e a t u r e s political, not ec-
clesiastical. T h e y would c o r r e s p o n d to our m o d e r n d i s o r d e r s 
of f a c t i o n fighting, civil w a r a n d rebellion. T h e C h r i s t i a n 

10"tt" necesse est." 



War and Peace in the: City of God 13 

E m p i r e co-operated w i t h t h e Catholic C h u r c h f r o m t h e he-
g i n n i n g of t h e schism, f r o m t h e synod of A r i e s in 311, to t h e 
final s e t t l e m e n t in t h e C o n f e r e n c e of C a r t h a g e in t h e y e a r 
4 1 1 . " 

Several of S a i n t A u g u s t i n e ' s l e t t e r s a r e a d d r e s s e d to offi-
cials in t h e P r o v i n c i a l or I m p e r i a l G o v e r n m e n t . T h e s e con-
t a i n v a l u a b l e i n f o r m a t i o n f r o m which can b e g a t h e r e d m i n u t e 
details of some of t h e w a r - t i m e cruelties, a n d also t h e w o r k i n g 
methods of c o u r t s which w e r e deciding w a r - t i m e cases a n d 
t h e p e n a l t i e s of o f f e n d e r s in o r d e r t o r e s t o r e a n d secure a 
l a s t i n g peace. 

F o l l o w i n g t h e C o n f e r e n c e of C a r t h a g e , in J u n e , 411, 
t h e r e h a d been some serious b r e a c h e s of t h e peace b y m a r a u d -
i n g b a n d s of D o n a t i s t f a n a t i c s , t h e Circumcelliones. M e m b e r s 
of t h i s b a n d , who were natives of A u g u s t i n e ' s episcopal city, 
H i p p o , h a d confessed in court to t h e guilt of killing one C a t h -
olic p r i e s t a n d cruelly m u t i l a t i n g a n o t h e r . 

A u g u s t i n e w r i t e s to two m e m b e r s , both C h r i s t i a n s , of 
t h e C o u r t . One is M a r c e l l i n u s , a t whose suggestion t h e w r i t -
i n g of T h e City of God was b e g u n a l i t t l e l a t e r , t h e other a 
b r o t h e r of M a r c e l l i n u s , who holds office of m i l i t a r y c o m m a n d e r 
u n d e r t h e p r o v i n c i a l g o v e r n m e n t . F r o m t h e t e x t of t h r e e l e t -
ters1 2 w r i t t e n on t h e case it is evident t h a t A u g u s t i n e f e a r e d a 
reaction which m i g h t follow f r o m a sentence a c c o r d i n g to t h e 
Lex Talionis f o r t h e outlaws. H e asks f o r a less severe p e n -
a l t y ( w h i p p i n g ) , not f r o m motives of s e n t i m e n t , b u t because 
h e d r e a d e d t h e p e r i l of a new u p r i s i n g which might undo t h e 
w o r k of t h e C a r t h a g e C o n f e r e n c e . 

u I n a brief work (Breviculus Collationis cum Donatisti*) written after the Carthage 
Conference of June, 411, Augustine gives what appears to be an abstract of the ab-
breviated report of the proceedings of this important peace court. Of this report he 
says: "Posteaquam facta est cum Donatistis nostra Collatio breviter commemoravi 
quae gesta sunt, litterisque comprehendi, secundum tres dies quibus cum eis contulimus. 
Idque opus utile existimavi, quo quisque commonitus, vel sciat sine labore quid actum 
sit, vel consultis numeris, quos rebus singulis annotavi, legat in isdem gestis ad locum 
quodcumque voluerit: Quoniam fatigant ilia sua nimia prolixitate lectorem." Evidently, 
the work was meant to be an abridgement and an Index to the bulky official reports of 
Imperial or provincial court proceedings. Retract. 11-39. 

12Letters. CXXXIII-CXXXIV-CXXXIX. 



14 War and Peace in the: City of God 14 

H e r e m i n d s M a r c e l l i n u s t h a t t h e t r i a l a n d proof of guilt 
w e r e secured w i t h o u t violence or coercion. T h e g u i l t p r o v e d 
vindicates t h e cause, not t h e p u n i s h m e n t of t h e c u l p r i t , whose 
p a r t i s a n s ( i n t h e p r e s e n t c a s e ) a r e to b e c o r r e c t e d . " N o l i 
ergo atrocius vindicare quod lenius invenisti. I n q u i r e n d i quam 
p u n i e n d i necessitas maior est. A d hoc enim mitissimi homines 
f a c i n u s occultatum d i l i g e n t e r a t q u e i n s t a n t e r e x a m i n a n t u t 
i n v e n i a n t quibus p a r c a n t . " 

I n t h e n e x t l e t t e r A u g u s t i n e makes it clear t h a t h e s p e a k s 
in t h e cause of C h r i s t i a n i t y a n d t h e C h u r c h , which even b e f o r e 
a n o n - C h r i s t i a n j u d g e h a s t h e r i g h t to be h e a r d . H e asks f o r 
a wide p u b l i c a t i o n of t h e t r a n s a c t i o n s of t h e court as h a v i n g 
a more wholesome effect f o r p e a c e t h a n t h e p u n i s h m e n t of con-
f e s s e d c u l p r i t s which m i g h t be i n t e r p r e t e d to b e r e t a l i a t i o n on 
t h e p a r t of t h e C h u r c h a n d t h e S t a t e . 

" T h e cause of t h e P r o v i n c e is one t h i n g , t h e cause of 
t h e C h u r c h a n o t h e r . T h e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n of t h e P r o v i n c e m u s t 
have sanction of l a w . T h e office of t h e C h u r c h recommends 
clemency. I f I w e r e s p e a k i n g t o a n o n - C h r i s t i a n j u d g e , I 
would use other m e a n s ; b u t t h e n too would I hold to t h e 
cause of t h e C h u r c h . I would insist, so f a r as it is fitting, 
t h a t t h e s u f f e r i n g s of t h e s e r v a n t s of God, which ought to be 
a n e x a m p l e of p a t i e n c e f o r good, be n o t dishonored b y t h e 
blood of t h e i r e n e m i e s ; a n d if he ( t h e j u d g e ) would not h e a r 
me, I would s u s p e c t h i s opposition as coming n o t f r o m a f a i r -
m i n d e d j u d g e , b u t f r o m a s p i r i t of hostility. . . . T h e court 
p r o c e e d i n g s o u g h t to be r e a d to set r i g h t men whose m i n d s 
have been poisoned b y a w r o n g p e r s u a s i o n . " 

I t will be noted h e r e t h a t t h e " c a u s e of t h e C h u r c h " is 
p r e s e n t e d b y A u g u s t i n e , n o t as a f a v o r or as something out of 
h a r m o n y with t h e best w e l f a r e of t h e E m p i r e . T h e cause of 
t h e C h u r c h , in t h i s case, a l i g h t e r sentence f o r t h e g u i l t y o f -
f e n d e r s , will c o n t r i b u t e t o t h e common cause of p e a c e in t h e 
P r o v i n c e , t h e r e f o r e h e would p r e s e n t his p l e a f o r it also be-
f o r e an " u n b e l i e v i n g j u d g e . " 

I n a second l e t t e r to M a r c e l l i n u s ( C X X X I X ) A u g u s t i n e 
says t h a t he is w a i t i n g f o r t h e official r e p o r t s of t h e court p r o -



War and Peace in the: City of God 15 

ceedings, which he will have published in t h e church of H i p p o 
a n d , if possible, in t h e other churches of t h e diocese. H e says 
in t h i s l e t t e r t h a t a n y p u n i s h m e n t short of t h e d e a t h p e n a l t y 
will be a c c e p t e d as l e n i e n t . " A n d , if to some of our own, 
moved b y t h e r e c e n t atrocities, this m a y seem t o be a n indig-
n i t y a n d close to l a x i t y a n d n e g l e c t / ' h e says, " w h e n t h e emo-
tions have p a s s e d which a r e now a r o u s e d , more t h a n is wont, 
b y t h e r e c e n t w r o n g s , t h e h i g h e r good will a p p e a r all t h e more 
honorable, a n d f o r t h i s same r e a s o n will it be a j o y to r e a d 
a n d to publish t h e c o u r t p r o c e e d i n g s . " 

T h i s l e t t e r concludes with a final r e q u e s t t h a t if it is 
f o u n d t h a t t h i s position f o r m e r c y is i m p r a c t i c a b l e t h e p r i s o n -
ers be k e p t u n d e r g u a r d . I n t h a t case a n a p p e a l will be m a d e 
to t h e E m p e r o r ( T h e o d o s i u s ) . T h i s , A u g u s t i n e says, was done 
b y t h e f o r m e r E m p e r o r ( A r c a d i u s in 3 9 7 ) w h e n t h e c l e r g y of 
T r e n t a p p e a l e d f o r t h e h e a t h e n m o u n t a i n e e r s of t h e T y r o l , 
w h o w e r e held p r i s o n e r s f o r t h e s l a y i n g of t h e missionaries 
sent to convert t h e m . T h e C h u r c h now honors these mission-
aries as M a r t y r s ( A n a u n e n s e s ) . " 

T h e p r i n c i p l e s on which C h r i s t i a n s , Catholic bishops a n d 
s t a t e s m e n , in A u g u s t i n e ' s time, w o r k e d f o r peace have n o t 
c h a n g e d . T h e whole e n d e a v o r f o r peace, as it is s t a t e d in 
T h e C i t y of God, in c o n t e m p o r a r y l e t t e r s a n d in individual 
cases is t o discern w h a t is r i g h t a n d w h a t is w r o n g in h u m a n 
m q r a l s , in social, political, a n d economic l i f e . W h e r e these 
t h i n g s of l i f e a r e as t h e y ought to be t h e r e is peace. 

T h e D o n a t i s t t r o u b l e s w e r e more t h a n local f a c t i o n 
fights. T h e y were a menace to t h e peace of t h e E m p i r e a n d 
t h e u n i t y of t h e C h u r c h Catholic. I f some of t h e main f a c t s 
in t h e endeavors to r e s t o r e peace in t h e f o u r t h a n d fifth cen-
t u r i e s a r e c o m p a r e d with similar endeavors d u r i n g t h e E u -
r o p e a n debacle of 1914-1918 one p o i n t of d i f f e r e n c e will be 
f o u n d in t h e r e s u l t s . T h e decisions of t h e C h r i s t i a n I m p e r i a l 
c o n f e r e n c e s m e t with much opposition a n d , on various p r e -
t e x t s , r e f u s a l s to a c c e p t a c o u r t ' s j u d g m e n t ; b u t t h e p r i n c i p l e , 
t h e r i g h t to decide in C h u r c h a n d in S t a t e s , was n o t denied 

laRomari Martyrolo&y, May 19. 



16 War and Peace in the: City of God 16 

nor set aside. A f t e r a c e n t u r y of divisions a n d u n r e s t , it w a s 
not f o r c e of a r m s b u t t h e decisions of C a r t h a g e t h a t r e s t o r e d 
a n d secured peace, b r o u g h t t h e D o n a t i s t a g a i n into t h e C h u r c h . 

T h e a p p e a l s of P o p e B e n e d i c t X V d u r i n g more t h a n f o u r 
y e a r s in t h e W o r l d W a r w e r e not less sincere n o r less s t r o n g 
t h a n t h e a p p e a l s a n d t h e r e a s o n i n g of t h e e a r l i e r C h r i s t i a n 
p e a c e m a k e r s . O n t h e first a n i v e r s a r y of t h e opening of hos-
tilities t h e P o p e r e m i n d s t h e n a t i o n s a t w a r : " O u r first w o r d s 
as Chief S h e p h e r d of souls, a d d r e s s e d to t h e n a t i o n s a n d t h e i r 
r u l e r s , w e r e w o r d s of p e a c e a n d of love. B u t our advice, a f -
f e c t i o n a t e a n d i n s i s t e n t , as t h a t of a f a t h e r a n d a f r i e n d , r e -
mained u n h e e d e d . O u r grief w a s a g g r a v a t e d , b u t our p u r p o s e 
was u n s h a k e n . W e t u r n e d , t h e r e f o r e , in all confidence t o t h e 
A l m i g h t y . I n t h e holy n a m e of G o d , in t h e n a m e of our 
h e a v e n l y F a t h e r a n d L o r d , b y t h e B l e s s e d Blood of J e s u s , 
price of m a n ' s r e d e m p t i o n , w e c o n j u r e you, whom D i v i n e 
P r o v i d e n c e h a s placed over t h e n a t i o n s , to p u t a n end a t l a s t 
to t h i s h o r r i b l e s l a u g h t e r , which f o r a whole y e a r h a s dis-
honored E u r o p e . " 

T h i s a p p e a l , m a d e simultaneously in F r e n c h , G e r m a n , 
I t a l i a n , a n d E n g l i s h , was p u b l i s h e d J u l y 28, 1915. T w o 
y e a r s l a t e r t h e final a p p e a l beseeching t h e w a r - w o r n n a t i o n s 
to a g r e e to a r b i t r a t i o n was issued. 

" W e wish to come now t o p r o p o s i t i o n s more concrete a n d 
p r a c t i c a l a n d invite t h e g o v e r n m e n t s a n d t h e p e o p l e a t w a r t o 
come to a g r e e m e n t on t h e f o l l o w i n g p o i n t s which a p p e a r to 
be f u n d a m e n t a l f o r a peace t h a t is j u s t a n d l a s t i n g , leaving it 
to t h e i r c a r e t o fill in m a t t e r s of minor i m p o r t a n d precision. 

" F i r s t of all, t h e f u n d a m e n t a l p o i n t ought t o b e t h a t t h e 
m o r a l f o r c e of r i g h t m u s t t a k e t h e p l a c e of t h e m a t e r i a l p o w e r 
of a r m s . 

" T h e n t h e r e should be a n equitable a g r e e m e n t of all ( n a -
t i o n s ) f o r a simultaneous a n d r e c i p r o c a l r e d u c t i o n of a r m e d 
f o r c e s , in accordance w i t h r u l e s a n d g u a r a n t e e s fixing t h e 
m e a s u r e n e c e s s a r y a n d sufficient to m a i n t a i n p u b l i c o r d e r in 
each s t a t e . 



War and Peace in the: City of God 17 

" F i n a l l y , a court of a r b i t r a t i o n to t a k e t h e place of a r m e d 
f o r c e s — t h i s court to decide a c c o r d i n g t o n o r m s of accord, a n d 
to fix t h e sanctions a g a i n s t a S t a t e which either m i g h t r e f u s e 
to submit its questions to i n t e r n a t i o n a l a r b i t r a t i o n or r e f u s e to 
a c c e p t t h e c o u r t ' s decision."1 4 

T h e C h r i s t i a n s p i r i t of peace, which s p e a k s to t h e w a r -
t o r n n a t i o n s of E u r o p e in t h e w o r d s of B e n e d i c t X V , is t h e 
same a p p e a l to r e a s o n a n d to j u s t i c e which was e x p r e s s e d b y 
t h e C h r i s t i a n " P e a c e C o n f e r e n c e s " in t h e fifth c e n t u r y . So 
f a r as r e s u l t s h a v e m a d e h i s t o r y , t h e w o r d s of t h e P o p e s t a n d 
as t h e t e x t of T h e C i t y of G o d — a r e m i n d e r t h a t h u m a n r e l a -
tions, t h e conduct of l i f e b e t w e e n m a n a n d m a n a n d b e t w e e n 
n a t i o n a n d n a t i o n m u s t r e t u r n to t h e p r i n c i p l e s a n d t h e p r a c -
tice of t h e m o r a l l a w , t h e C h r i s t i a n ethics of r i g h t a n d w r o n g . 

" T h e French te*t of the Appeal of the Pope to the Belligerent Nations, dated 
August 1, 1917. Acta Apostolicae Sedis. Vol. IX, p. 417 rt scq. 



18 War and Peace in the: City of God 18 

TH E Catholic Association f o r I n t e r n a t i o n a l P e a c e h a s 
g r o w n out of a series of m e e t i n g s d u r i n g 1926-1927. 

F o l l o w i n g t h e E u c h a r i s t i c Congress in Chicago in 1926, r e p -
r e s e n t a t i v e s of a dozen n a t i o n s m e t w i t h A m e r i c a n s f o r dis-
cussion. I n October of t h e same y e a r a m e e t i n g was held in 
Cleveland w h e r e a t e m p o r a r y o r g a n i z a t i o n called T h e C a t h -
olic Committee on I n t e r n a t i o n a l R e l a t i o n s was f o r m e d . T h e 
p e r m a n e n t n a m e , T h e Catholic Association f o r I n t e r n a t i o n a l 
P e a c e , w a s a d o p t e d a t a t w o - d a y C o n f e r e n c e in W a s h i n g t o n in 
1927. A n n u a l C o n f e r e n c e s w e r e h e l d in t h e same city in 1928, 
1929, 1930, 1933 a n d 1 9 3 4 ; in N e w Y o r k C i t y , 1 9 3 1 ; a n d in 
Cleveland, 1932. A l l - d a y r e g i o n a l C o n f e r e n c e s took p l a c e in 
Chicago on Armistice D a y , 1 9 3 0 ; in S t . Louis on W a s h i n g t o n ' s 
B i r t h d a y , 1 9 3 2 ; a n d a t t h e U n i v e r s i t y of N o t r e D a m e , N o t r e 
D a m e , I n d i a n a , on N o v e m b e r 19, 1933. I t is a m e m b e r s h i p 
o r g a n i z a t i o n . I t s o b j e c t s a n d p u r p o s e s a r e . 

To study, disseminate and apply the principles of natural law 
and Christian charity to international problems of the day; 

To consider the moral and legal aspects of any action which 
may be proposed or advocated in the international sphere; 

To examine and consider issues which bear upon international 
goodwill; 

To encourage the formation of conferences, lectures and study 
circles; 

To issue reports on questions of international importance; 
To further, in co-operation with similar Catholic organizations 

in other countries, in accord with the teachings of the 
Church, the object and purposes .of world peace and hap-
piness 

The ultimate purpose is to promote, in conformity with the 
mind of the Church, "the Peace of Christ in the Kingdom of 
Christ." 

T h e Association works t h r o u g h t h e p r e p a r a t i o n of com-
m i t t e e r e p o r t s . F o l l o w i n g c a r e f u l p r e p a r a t i o n , t h e s e a r e dis-
cussed both p u b l i c l y a n d p r i v a t e l y in o r d e r to secure able 
revision a n d t h e y a r e t h e n p u b l i s h e d b y t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n . Ad-
ditional committees will be c r e a t e d f r o m t i m e t o time. T h e 
Association solicits t h e m e m b e r s h i p a n d co-operation of C a t h -
olics of like m i n d . I t is seeking especially t h e m e m b e r s h i p a n d 
co-operation of those whose e x p e r i e n c e a n d studies a r e such 
t h a t t h e y can t a k e p a r t in t h e p r e p a r a t i o n of committee 
r e p o r t s . 



War and Peace in the City of God 19 

T h e Committees on E t h i c s , L a w a n d O r g a n i z a t i o n , a n d 
Economic R e l a t i o n s serve as a g u i d i n g committee on t h e p a r -
t i c u l a r questions f o r a l l other committees. Questions involving 
m o r a l j u d g m e n t s m u s t be s u b m i t t e d t o t h e Committee on 
E t h i c s . 



War and Peace in t h e : City of God 20 

Publications of the Catholic Associ-
ation for International Peace 

Pamphlet Series—1 

No. 1—International Ethics. 
No. 2—Latin America and the United States. 
No. 3—Causes of War, and Security, Old and New. 
No. 4—Haiti, Past and Present [out of print]. 
No. 5—Francis de Vitoria. 
No. 6—American Agriculture and International Affairs. 
No. 7—Porto Rico and the United States. 
No. 8—Europe and the United States—Elements in Their 

Relationship. 
No. 9—The Ethics of War. 
No. 10—National Attitudes in Children. 
No. II—Tariffs and World Peace. 
No. 12—Manchuria—The Problem in the Far East. 
No. 13—International Economic Life. 
No. 14—The Church and Peace Efforts. 
No. 15—War and Peace in St. Augustine's De Civitate Dei. 

M i s c e l l a n e o u s S e r i e s — 

The World State. 
Permanent Peace Program of Pope Benedict X V . 
Appeals for Peace of Pope Benedict X V and Pope Pius XI. 

Reports in Preparation— 
American Intervention in Santo Domingo. 
Nationalism. 
Is War Justifiable Today? 
Disarmament and Catholic Doctrine. 
The World Court. 
The League of Nations. 
International Cultural Relations. 
Peace Education. 
So-called "Over-Population." 
Catholicism—the Keynote of Pan-Americanism. 
French-Italian Relations. 
World Co-operation—Symposium. 

N . C. W . C. J o i n t Committee on P e a c e — 
Peace Statements of Recent Popes.