Joseph Cardinal Höffner CHRISTIAN SOCIAL ... - Ordo Socialis

this teaching in his message to the disarmament conference of the United Nations on May 20,
l978: „The question about war and peace,“ the Pope said, „is posed today under new terms.
Not that the principles have changed. The aggression of one state against another was just as
unlawful yesterday as it is today.“ A war in the past, the Second Vatican Council declared,
that aimed at the „destruction of entire cities or of extensive areas“ was a „crime against God
and man himself“ as well (Gaudium et spes, 80). Today, on the other hand, war has means at
its disposal that increase, according to the judgment of the Council, „its horror and its reprehensibility
to an immeasurable degree.“ 61 This holds not only for neutron weapons, but for all
CBR weapons.
Many, of course, are protesting vehemently against neutron weapons: they are not only terrible
in themselves, but spur on the arms race to an immeasurable degree. The suggestion that
there could be a limited deployment of neutron weapons towards specific targets such as
masses of approaching tanks is highly suspect. For whoever makes first use of neutron weapons
prepares the way for total nuclear war.
Others say that nuclear SS 20 Rockets and 40,000 tanks are terrible as well. In addition, neutron
weapons are not offensive, but defensive weapons. They will have a deterrent effect on
states with numerous tanks at their disposal and in this way prevent a war of aggression.
The question is thus posed whether, in view of the present threat, a state may possess CBR
weapons for the maintenance of the ‘balance of fear’, i.e., for the prevention of a war of aggression.
62 Even if after the foregoing considerations one may not deny this right to the state,
we find ourselves in a situation that is untenable in the long run. For „even if the balance of
fear helped to avoid the worst and could continue doing so for some time, it would nevertheless
be a tragic illusion to think that the arms race could continue infinitely without provoking
a catastrophe.“ 63 An escape from this tragedy is probably only possible on the worldwide
level, concerning which a tenth guiding principle applies:
The Tenth Guiding Principle. There must be an „establishment of some universal public authority
acknowledged as such by all, and endowed with effective power to safeguard, on the
behalf of all, security, regard for justice, and respect for rights.“ 64 „This general authority,“ it
says in the encyclical Pacem in terris, „cannot be imposed by force. It must be set up with the
consent of all nations.“ It must also have world-wide power.“ 65
Of course, one may not overlook the fact that a military intervention by the world authority
against a powerful aggressor state could assume a warlike character. Violence and war will
always threaten mankind. In this age, there are no conditions that are ideal in every respect,
but we must still champion peace with all our strength. 66
§ 4 Limits of Governmental Authority and the People’s Right to Resist
l. Divine and natural law set firm limits to governmental authority. Above all, the personal
dignity of man and the essential order of marriage and the family are inviolable. In most
states, the limits of governmental authority are more closely defined through the constitution
which guarantees, for example, the freedom of conscience and the freedom of speech, the
61
Dienst am Frieden, 177-178.
62
Peter Gosztony, Die Rote Armee. Geschichte und Aufbau der Sowjetischen Streitkräfte seit 1917 (Vienna-
Munich-Zurich-New York, 1980) points out that the Red Army has undertaken ten campaigns, usually offensive
campaigns, and has armed itself to an enormous degree. On September 17, 1939, Poland was invaded by the Red
Army. Eastern Poland was incorporated into the Soviet Union.
63
Pope Paul VI, Message to the Disarmament Conference of the United Nations of May 24, 1978, in Dienst am
Frieden, 178.
64
„Gaudium et spes,“ 82.
65
John XIII, „Pacem in terris,“ 138.
66
See below also, pp. ?.
148