Mather Announces Two-Week July Conference to Discuss Modern Democracy and Peace Problems

Under the auspices of the University, a two-week conference will be held this summer to consider the steps that should be taken to apply the ethics and morals of religion in the critical problems of democracy and international peace, it was announced today by Professor Kirtley F. Mather, Director of the Harvard Summer School.

Leaders of the Catholic, Jewish, and Protestant faiths will join in discussions with diplomats from Finland, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and other countries, as well as with noted businessmen and educators.

The conference, which will be in session July 8-19, will have as its topic, "Religious Principles and Contemporary National and International Issues," and will be open to the lay public as well as to the ministry of all churches, Dr. Mather said.

Thomas to Lead Discussion

The five leaders of the conference, each of whom will conduct the conference for two days on his special field, and their topics for lectures and discussions, will be: Dr. Norman Thomas, Socialist candidate for President and former Presbyterian minister, speaking on "The Problems of Economics"; Bishop Ivan Lee Holt, of Dallas, Texas, former president of the Federal Council of Churches of Christ in America, at present Chairman of the Council's Commission for the Study of Christian Unity. "The Problem of World Organization"; Dr. Gerald B. Phelan, President of the Institute of Mediaeval Studies, Toronto, Canada, noted psychologist, "The Problem of the Individual"; Dr. Abba Hillel Silver, Rabbi of The Temple, Cleveland, O., "The Problem of Racial Relations"; and Dr. Henry J. Cadbury, Hollis Professor of Divinity, "The Problem of War."

Evening lecturers at the conference will include Dr. Hjalmar J. Procope, Minister from Finland; Mr. Charles Bruggman, Minister from Switzerland; Dr. A. Loudon, Minister from the Netherlands; Dr. John Haynes Holmes, Pastor of the Community Church, New York City; Bishop W. Appleton Lawrence, of the Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts; and Dr. Mordecai Johnson, President of Howard University, Washington, D. C.

Dr. Auer Supervises Conference

Organization and direction of the Harvard Conference are under the supervision of Dr. J. A. C. Fagginger Auer, Professor of Church History, Harvard University. A fee of ten dollars will be charged for membership in the conference, and living accommodations will be available in the university buildings. Offices of the conference are at the Harvard Summer School at Wadsworth House.

Harvard is motivated, in sponsoring the interdenominational conference, by the belief that "the intelligence of men of good will, when properly mobilized and effectively applied, will prove adequate to meet the imperative demands of these crucial times," Professor Fagginger Auer commented.

"It is increasingly apparent," he continued, "that little or no progress is being made toward the satisfactory solution of the many problems which we face today. At best, we have moved forward only a small fraction of the distance toward the goal of peace and prosperity for all. At worst, we fear the complete collapse of civilization, before the intelligent application of good will can save mankind from that catastrophe.

Religion as a Solution

"Can religion make a truly practical contribution toward the preservation of democracy against the threat of totalitarianism? What is the real nature of the forces of disintegration that are at work today? How do they function? Is it possible to render them powerless by opposing them with forces of integration? If so, how? The nature of the threatening conditions must be investigated and the endeavor must be made to find means by which they can be rendered harmless.

Success Not Certain

"It is not certain that such an endeavor will lead to success. The problem may be so vast or so intricate that it resists our attempts to solve it. This does not release us from our obligation to deal with it to the best of our ability. Even if we do not reach tangible results, much is gained if we merely discover the reason why a problem is incapable of solution for the time being."