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THE PIOUA' DAILY CALLRALPH HOLSINGER WRITESWEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23. 1944True Brotherhood Only Real Basis of Lasting Peace(Editor’s Note:—This Is anotherin the series of articles written byRalph Holsinger, of Covingtonwith the armed forces in Italy andis printed In the Daily Call by special permission.]In Italy, t Aug. 5, 1944Now that representatives from Russia, Great Britain and the United States are meeting to determine what shall be done to a defeated Germany end Congress Js turning its attention to the problem of reconversion, many of you are probably asking as I am, “What part will I, as an individual play in these plans?”At first thought one is tempted to answer, I will do as I am told. The big shots are the ones whowill settle the major problems.**If that is our answer, we may as well resign ourselves right now to another war during the next generation. For It matters nofc how perfect the plan for policing the world may be, it matters not how perfect the organization for administering the plan may be, we will not have peace unless the millions like you and me, who people the world, enter the p*ace with the proper spirit.Our JobIn these materialistic times mostthinking men feel impelled to suspect the practical intelligence of those who talk of spiritual things Yet, to my way of thinking ,the most practical thmk you and I can do to insure continued peace is to adopt and crusade for the spirit of human brotherhood that is the core of our three great faiths.You and I are ordinary folk. Our names appear In print only when we’re in trouble or when we die. The man in the next county doesn’t give two hoots for what we think unless he’s a politician. Then he’ll try to tell us we should think or, if we’re stubborn, will agree with us. We won't attend the peace conferences; we’ll be too busy with our own individual problems. It’s not even certain that the men we help send to Congress will have very much to say about it..Then why does it matter what we believe in? \Now I'm no minister and I don’t know very much about theology but I have read a Utth history and I'm beginning to learn a few things about the ordinary people of the world.I recall that once twelve fishermen believed in the teachings of aman who came out of a village that hooted Him. He was branded a« m criminal by most of the' big shots of the time. He thuught that man was a sacred individual, a person who counted in a world of persons united in brofherhood by a common father. That was a new idea and it caught on despite the most discouraging possible conditions.In those days the Romans ruled the world. They didn’t like the brotherhood idea, I saw the Colosseum where they threw its believes to the Hons. I saw the Catacombs into which the survivors were driven and periodically massacred. And then, only a mile or so away, I saw the most magnificent church in the world, built as a monument to a man of faith who was crucified upside down in a public market place.Real Faith NeededWe need some of that faith in the spirit of - brotherhood. That's one thing we can start ourselves without wailing for any complicated plan.It can start with a smile and can expand into courtesy, helpfulness, tolerance, understanding, appreciation and on into as many of the virtues as we have strength to bear.It’s too simple a thing to do to beimportant, isn’t it? Preachers have been saying the same thing for 2,000 years until everybody knows thewords.But how many of us turn the words into deeds? Turn a critical eye onto yourself today, count the number of times you could apply a virtue—and don’t.A PeachSome observers say that the spiritual renaissance has already started in America. On June seventh, in his * syndicated column, David Lawrence hailed the sober acceptance of “D-Day” and the President’s Prayer-as the first step toward lasting peace.It was an impressive demonstration of faith but I prefer to wait before I talk of spiritual renaissance. it Is one thing to pray when one is in danger, or in sorrow, or is anxious over the fate of a loved one It is quite another thing to humble oneself in prayer during an hour oftriumph.And yet that will be the beginning of the period when the greatest tolerance and understanding are required of all of ui —the period when we'll make our choice for peace dr war.rmitin AnritAMl
Newspaper Details
Piqua Daily Call
Piqua, Ohio, US
Wed, Aug 23, 1944
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Richard E.
OH, USA 28 Jun 2023
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