20 October 2015
3 hours

WRI Archive Box 417
The cover states: Vatican / 1949, 1951.
Correspondence regarding the Vatican’s assessment of the WRI (its intentions are honest, but they may be open to communist infiltration) and the possibility of a Papal ban against the WRI.

WRI Archive Box 426
The cover states: WRI Appendix VI / SASR / I-VII / 1936-1939
Van Gheel Gildemeester wasn’t the only one trying to find a new ‘home’ for Jews trying to flee Germany. In 1936, the WRI came up with a plan of its own: to establish a colony of Jewish refugees in Pital, a province of Columbia. In 1938 , the WRI bought a large tract of land in Pital for the settlement of Jewish refugees. 
This box and the next three deal with the founding and financing of this new colony. 
(I took a quick look to see if there were any references to Gildemeester, but alas, I found none.)  

WRI Archive Box 434
The cover states: World Peace Brigade / I-IV / 1961-1967 / General Affairs
- “Report of Conference to Establish a World Peace Brigade”
Typescript, carbon copy. No author. Date: 1962. Format: B4. 5 pages.
Report from the conference in Lebanon (27 December 1961-2 January 1962) which laid the ground rules for the World Peace Brigade (WPB). The official name decided on: World Peace Brigade for Non-Violent Action. Furthermore, the basis of the brigade would be “individual membership, which should be represented, in some ways still to be determined, at a bi-annual conference. The conference would control policy and elect a council of 25, which would elect of its own officers and a executive of 5 persons.” To launch the brigade it was decided to organize special peace army activities in Rhodesia and, simultaneously, have several large demonstrations around the world to protest against modern warfare. 
- “World Peace Brigade for Non-Violent Action: Constitution”
Typescript, carbon copy. No author. Date: 1962. Format: B4. 3 pages.
The Constitution includes the official name, the principles and aims, conditions for membership, and the formal structure of the WPB.
The aims of the WPB include: (1) To organize, train and keep available a Brigade for non-violent action in situations of potential or actual conflict, internal and international; (2) to activate people everywhere to become a responsible and positive force to meet the menace of modern war by inspiring and stimulating confidence in non-violent alternatives; (3) to revolutionise the concept of revolution itself by infusing into the methods of resisting injustice the qualities which ensure the preservation of human life and dignity and to create the conditions necessary for peace; (4) to join with people in their non-violent struggle for self-determination and social reconstruction; and (5) to co-operate to the utmost with existing organizations for peace, liberation and human service and to act where needed as a co-ordinating and information centre for non-violent activities throughout the world.
- “Memo Concerning Protest Actions of the WPB”
Typescript, carbon copy (poor quality). No author. No date [ca 1962]. Format: B4. 2 pages.
The author distinguishes between protest actions (which include civil disobedience and direct action) and nonviolent constructive actions. According to him or her protest actions are negative (they are aimed against something), reactive, create conflicts and have little effect, whereas nonviolent constructive actions are positive (in favor of something), pro-active, settle conflicts and have a better chance of achieving long term positive effects.

WRI Archive Box 435
The cover states: World Peace Brigade / VII-X / Europe, Africa / 1962-1965.
- “Points for Consideration by the Sponsors and Sympathizers of the Friendship March”
Original typescript. Author: Shankarraro Deo. Date: 1962. Format: A4. 3 pages.
Considerations regarding the Friendship March from Delhi to Peking, prompted by the border dispute between India and China. Deo warns: “It’s quite possible that the first response to non-violent resistance will be anger and violent action. Gandhi believed that after some time the suffering will appeal to the intellect and heart and the change will come in this way. […] The most important thing for us is to ensure that no evil thoughts or antagonisms are generated in others’ minds as a result of thinking, acting or speaking.” This point is complicated by the fact that after India’s independence India as a nation assumed a bigger importance. The new role of the Shanti Sena (as opposed to that of peace keeping in times of communal tensions) will be that of non-violent resistance to an invader. In combination with the newly found importance of the Indian state, the Shanti Sena was at risk of identifying itself with the concept of nationalism, and as a result it was unlikely to be impartial. Moreover, it was at risk of actively siding with the Indian State. From this Deo concludes that the Shanti Sena could well lose its effectiveness as a pacifier and inspirer of the minds of the invader.

WRI Archive Box 436
The cover states: Delhi- Peking Friendship March / 1963.
- “A Working Paper: China-India Conflict and the World Peace Brigade”
Typescript, carbon copy. Author: Ed Lazar. Date: 1962. Format: A4. 10 pages.
Interesting and thorough analysis of the history of the China-India border conflict, the rapidly changing position of China as an emerging power and the role of nonviolence in India.
Lazar particularly questions the validity and effectiveness of nonviolence in situations in which a country is being invaded: “It has been suggested that the technique of non-violent resistance be taught to the border people. […] The beauty of non-violent resistance has been demonstrated in situations in which the opponent is already settled in the land or has already completed conquest. There is a great difference, seldom acknowledged, between driving the British out of India, resisting Nazi’s already in Norway […] and the completely different question of keeping an invading force out, of not allowing it to settle or conquer in the first place. […] I feel that the introduction of the non-violent approach, the introduction of the human element, and the attempt to end war hysteria, are the most positive actions on which non-violent energies should be expanded.” 
- “Delhi-Peking Friendship March: March Sponsored by World Peace Brigade, Asian Regional Council at the Invitation of Indian the Shanti Sena Mandal”
Souvenir pamphlet. Publisher: WPB, Siddharaj Dhadda. Date: 1964. Format: A5. 48 pages (20 of which are advertisement pages).
The “Souvenir” contains, among others:
- “Friendship March” (no author, 5 pages), which provides the history of the March, that lasted 8 months but would never reach China (the official Chinese position was that they were a bunch of anti-Chinese reactionary idiots);
- “The Basis of Friendship March” (Vinoba Bhave, 2 pages): “The group of friendship marchers are advocating to make the world into one. I am wandering from village to village telling people to unite, to make the whole village into one family. Both are attempts to broaden the vision. The Friendship March is attempting an experiment, they want to open a new field for the exercise of this broad-mindedness. If this venture succeeds, well and good. Even if it does not, we shall be satisfied with having made the attempt for a good cause.”; 
- “The Achievement of the Friendship March” (Vinoba Bhave, 2 pages): “Some people think that the Friendship March has not had any tangible achievement to its credit. In fact, some believe that the whole effort has been a waste. But that is not so. […] That is to miss the spiritual part of the March. When we say that China has not allowed the March to enter, it does not mean that the people of China have done so. In these days, there is much difference between the people and the government. The two are not the same.”