" Silence in Vienna"
StR,—In your issue of December 26th, 1952, you refer in your News of the Week to my speech at the Vienna Peace Congress. You stated that no answer was vouchsafed to any of my three questions. I did not make my speech until the Thursday morning session, and that left very little time for an official answer to be given. Perhaps if I had been able to approach one of the Soviet delegates, I should have received some assurance that the questions I raised would not be ignored. They might have thought that, because Pastor Essen of Germany and myself were the only two speakers who posed the question of the repatriation of German prisoners of war, the issue was not a burning one.
My second question relating to the Indian proposals for a truce in Korea received more support in the speeches made from the rost- rum. It could be argued that this is indirectly answered in one
of the final resolutions which incorporates* the suggestion by Dr. Kitchlew, an Indian delegate, that there should be an immediate cease-fire, and all outstanding issues be settled by negotiation. My third point was more in the nature of a plea, and time will tell whether it will influence the internal policies of the countries con- cerned. The critical points in my speech were all printed in the daily bulletin which contained a summary of all the speeches made in the plenary sessions. This proves that no attempt was made .to silence critical opinion offered in a friendly and constructive spirit. I was impressed with the way in which all points of view were expressed and received. Nothing but good can emerge from such an open forum for the ventilation of world opinion. As a result, my vision of the trend of world affairs is much clearer than it was before. The Christian witness must be made fully and fearlessly, for only so will the peace movement be directed along fruitful paths. Many inside the movement are eagerly awaiting the kind of corporate con- tribution which only the Church can make.—Yours faithfully,
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