THE CHURCH AND WAR [To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.]
Sm,—Mr. Sidney Spencer, in your issue of-March 22nd, accuses the Archbishop of Canterbury of sanctioning " in the name of the Church, the use of methods of warfare—the bombing of cities; with the attendant slaughter of the civilian population —which makes utter nonsense of all that can be understood by Christian ethics." This is an excellent example of a kind of muddled thought to which many sincere pacifists are particularly prone. Would Mr. Spencer accuse the Arch- bishop of sanctioning crime if he were to approve of an increase in the police force ?
I and a good many of my friends can see no way, at present, of preventing the bombardment of towns, save by an inter- national agreement to pool air power for use against the criminal nation which attempts this form of warfare. If such a pool is to be formed we must be able to make an effective contribution to it. Therefore, in our case, and I am charitable enough to assume in the case of the Archbishop, approval of an increase in our air power does not imply approval of bombardment of towns. If our friends the pacifists would only admit that there may be more ways than theirs of ensuring peace, we should be nearer the desired goal. imputing unworthy motives is not, as I understand it, a part
of Christian ethic.—Yours, &c., F. MAURICE. 44 Kensington Park Gardens, W. 11.
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