July, 1985

THE ROCKY ROAD TO PEACE

There is a considerable difference of opinion among world leaders concerning the final effects of full scale nuclear war between the major nations. Twenty-four years ago, Prime Minister Nehru of India, stated his opinion that such a war would result in the total extermination of all ,life upon the planet. Other, somewhat more optimistic leaders believe that only mankind, and perhaps a few of the more highly developed animal species would perish completely. There are even a few who feel that some few remnants of humanity might survive. There is, however, one fact with which all intelligent and informed persons do agree. All vestiges of civilization as it now exists, would certainly vanish in the holocaust of nuclear war.

The necessity of avoiding such total warfare is, therefore, the most urgent and pressing problem which faces humanity today, since it must be obvious that no problems of a race can have any significance if the race itself perishes. The search for solutions to the problems of maintaining peace must be joined by all of the nations of the earth, since all are equally threatened by them! Before there can be any real hope of valid solutions however, we must achieve complete understanding of the problems, and in order to do so, we must succeed in mentally divorcing ourselves from personal involvement in those problems. This is the most difficult part of all because we are so intimately connected with them. Our lives, our freedom, our dignity and our possessions are threatened. Our emotions and our passions tend to take control of our reason and understanding, and so place us in even greater danger of catastrophe.

If we are to achieve complete understanding, we must approach the world situation as though we were members of an alien race approaching this planet for the first time, and without any personal stake in its affairs. We observe first that a considerable portion of the population of the planet is rather sharply divided into two opposing philosophies of economics and government. In one of these, the control of both economics and government is in the hands of the same rulers, who proclaim themselves to be the 'representatives' of the 'State'! The State is considered to be the vital entity, and the individual, only a relatively unimportant unit of the State. The individual cannot therefore possess any rights or privileges which could possibly conflict with or limit the rights and privileges of the State, so that if any such conflict of interest should develop, the individual must always yield! This doctrine is known as Communism. About 36% of the world's population is controlled, directly or indirectly by this form of government, and the percentage is slowly but constantly increasing.

The opposing philosophy, generally known as Democracy, holds that the individual is the vital entity, and that the state is merely a group of individuals, each one of whom have civil rights which can be enforced, even against the state. This is one of the principal sources of friction between the two philosophies, and the countries which follow them. From time to time, Democracy accuses Communism of "violating the civil rights of its people," to which Communism replies simply hat, since under Communism, the individual has no rights, and since all authority resides in the State and those who represent it, it would be impossible for the state to deprive the individual of something he did not possess. Communism simply dismisses such complaints as unwarranted attempts to interfere with its own internal affairs.

About 15% of the world population subscribes to the philosophy of democracy, while the remainder of its people are ruled by an assortment of military dictators and religious leaders, no two of whom have the same beliefs concerning government or economics.

While the philosophies of Communism and Democracy are opposed to each other on most subjects, there is one firm belief that both hold in common. Each side insists that it is 100% right and the other side is 100% wrong. It is this simple fact that has created the impassable barrier between them, and has generated, as General of the Army, Douglas MacArthur described it thirty years ago, "A complete belief on the part of the Soviet Union that capitalistic countries are preparing to attack them, and, sooner or later we intend to strike. On the other hand, a complete belief on the part of the capitalistic countries that the Soviets are preparing to attack us: that sooner or later, they intend to strike." He also pointed out that, "Both sides are wrong. Each side, so far as the masses are concerned is equally desirous of peace. For either side, war with the other would mean nothing but disaster. Both equally dread it! But the constant acceleration of preparation may well, without specific intent, produce a spontaneous combustion! What was true thirty years ago, is even more so today, and the solution is the same.

When representatives of the United States and the Soviet Union meet to discuss their differences, they must forget that they represent the two most powerful nations, and that each must use great care lest the other side gain an advantage. What they must remember is that they are members of a terribly endangered species working desperately to find some way in which the species, including themselves, may survive. A meeting held on this basis might, for the first time in history, produce some genuine results.

-o0o-

(signed) Daniel W. Fry

 

(hand written) Cleona’s Corner                                           July 1985

 

Those of you who have been with us two or more years, already know how much we love our Blessed America. Our members in many other countries love their homeland just as dearly, but what we ALL need to do is love the WORLD!! It is our only planet.

Those of us who want our world to be free, happy and at peace must all work TOGETHER to erase fanaticism and the danger it can be to our world's peaceful survival.

Never has our American family spirit been more clearly shown than now. Someone keeps one or more of our American 'family' and we are not 220,000,000 individuals - but we are ONE family!

Let OUR people go! They ARE part of our family!! We pray together for them and weep with joy for getting a lost lamb 'back in the fold’.

Dr. Fry and I have, also always thought of YOU as part of OUR family of World Understanding. So many of you we've met and know, and love. We regret not having met every one of you, and hope we will on some future day.

Most of you know that we are working WORLD WIDE with world leaders for world Peace. Each leader has a copy of 'Area of Mutual Agreement.'

King Hussein of Jordan, is the most level headed of all leaders in the middle east, and he is working harder in the middle east than anyone!  Our plans were to go to Jordan, FIRST, and soon. We've researched and studied so we would be well informed as to the country and customs. Even Dr. Fry's passport was renewed (mine is current) but we quickly realized that at this time Our lives could be in danger! We have FAR too much work in progress is take such a chance!! Perhaps later.

Safe and Happy holidays to YOU!

(signed) Cleona Q. Fry

(hand written) Nat’l Treasurer

World Understanding Inc.