Author: Gertjan Cobelens

21 April 2015
4 hours

Continuation WRI Archive Box 117
Folder II
* The War Resister, issue 72, Third Quarter 1956
Periodical, quarterly. Publisher: WRI. Format: A5. Issue 72, third quarter 1956. 16 pages.
This issue contains the article ‘Catholic Witness’ by Henriette Dumusnil-Huchet (5 pages) in which she attempts to relate the new developments within the catholic church to pacifism. Although she starts out with the warning ‘that we must avoid associating these two words, for while there are, in fact, many Catholics who are pacific, scarcely any of them are pacifist. There exists in the Catholic Church neither a “Peace” Party nor a doctrine of “peace at all price”,’ and goes on to discuss the important role of the concept of the ‘just war’ in Catholic theology, she also quotes Pope Pius XII famous words that ‘after the horrors of two world wars, we don’t need to repeat that all glorification of war is to be condemned as an aberration of mind and heart. […] It is therefore not sufficient that one has to defend oneself against no matter what injustice, to justify the use of the violent method of war. When the suffering brought about by the latter is incomparably greater than the “injustice” suffered there may be an obligation to “submit’ to the injustice.’ In 1953 he took this to the next level by stating: ‘(1) The legal incapacity of leaders to order the commission of crimes; a system of punishment for any who give such orders; (2) subordinates to be excused from executing such orders and liable to punishment if they obey them; and (3) the suppression by international convention of the legal dilemma by which a subordinate is threatened with punishment if he does not obey with trial as a “war criminal” if the offended party is victorious.’ And, again: ‘No superior authority is entitled to command an immoral act; there exists no right, no obligation, no permission to commit an act, immoral in itself, because it’s commanded, even if refusal involves the worst consequences for oneself.’
* The War Resister, issue 73, Fourth Quarter 1956
Periodical, quarterly. Publisher: WRI. Format: A5. Issue 73, fourth quarter 1956. 16 pages.
The issue contains a lengthy article on the plight of 45 Belgium conscientious objectors, who were awarded long prison sentences for their refusal to enlist.

Folder III.
Folder III contains 1 subfolder.
Subfolder 1. The cover states: No. 74-94 / 1957-1962
* The War Resister: Special Issue, WRI Handbook Including Military Service Regulations, issue 74, First Quarter 1957
Periodical, quarterly. Publisher: WRI. Format: A5. Issue 74, first quarter 1957. 16 pages.
An extensive overview of the legal status of conscientious objectors the world over.
* The War Resister, issue 75, Second Quarter 1957
Periodical, quarterly. Publisher: WRI. Format: A5. Issue 75, second quarter 1957. 16 pages.
This issue contains a long article about the relation between vegetarianism and world peace plus miscellaneous news.
* The War Resister, issue 76, Third Quarter 1957
Periodical, quarterly. Publisher: WRI. Format: A5. Issue 76, third quarter 1957. 32 pages.
A special issue entirely devoted to the Ninth Triennial International Conference in Paris. The issue includes the ‘Headquarters Report’ ( 6 pages) by Arlo Tatum and ‘Reports from the Sections’ (26 page). For more information see WRI Archive Box 8, folder II.
* The War Resister, issue 77, Fourth Quarter 1957
Periodical, quarterly. Publisher: WRI. Format: A5. Issue 77, fourth quarter 1957. 16 pages.
This issue reports on the death of Grace Beaton, who had been a member of the WRI staff since 1925 and the WRI general secretary from 1933 till 1956. The issue also contains a transcription of a speech (4 pages) delivered by Bayard Rustin to the Ninth Triennial Conference. In this speech, Rustin, the secretary of the American War Resisters League, discusses the implications of the bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama: ‘I believe the bus boycott of the American Negroes in Montgomery is a post-Gandhian contribution to the theory and practice of non-violence.’ He identifies four things that are of relevance to the WRI audience: (1) Success depends on the will of the people to act; (2) it is often the oppressor who causes the success of a non-violent struggle; (3) none of the Negro leaders was a pacifist when the struggle began, but the force of this non-violent strategy was so overwhelming that many did adopt a pacifist position; and (4) the most essential element of non-violence is not love but dignity.
* The War Resister, issue 78, First Quarter 1958
Periodical, quarterly. Publisher: WRI. Format: A5. Issue 78, first quarter 1958. 16 pages.
This issue contains mostly miscellaneous news and updates from the Section.
* The War Resister, issue 79, Second Quarter 1958
Periodical, quarterly. Publisher: WRI. Format: A5. Issue 79, second quarter 1958 16. pages.
This issue contains a ‘Commentary’ by Vinoba Bhave (6 pages), which consists of comments and observations selected from Bhoodan, the weekly organ of the Bhoodan (land gift) Movement in India. To quote one example: ‘Defence (Shanti Sena). Whether you organise violence or non-violence for protecting yourself, for solving your problems, you must be prepared to die. You must root out the fear of death. Unless you are willing to meet death with equanimity, you can never protect yourself or the community.’ Other quotes deal with national freedom, government, scientists, democracy, the Not-United Nations and Gramdan.
* The War Resister, issue 80, Third Quarter 1958
Periodical, quarterly. Publisher: WRI. Format: A5. Issue 79, third quarter 1958. 16 pages.
Special issue on campaigns against nuclear weapons.
* The War Resister, issue 81, Fourth Quarter 1958
Periodical, quarterly. Publisher: WRI. Format: A5. Issue 81, fourth quarter 1958. 16 pages.
Mostly miscellaneous news plus an article on the use of Esperanto at international conferences, which both reduces costs and the risk of misunderstandings between delegates. 
* The War Resister, issue 82, First Quarter 1959
Periodical, quarterly. Publisher: WRI. Format: A5. Issue 82, first quarter 1959. 16 pages.
The issue contains the announcement of the death of Reginald Reynolds and includes a 2 page article by Dag Hammerskjold on the plight of the Nazarenes, a Christian-pacifist sect in Yugoslavia, who have long been the victims of persecution. Hammerskjold estimates that after the Second World War the Nazarenes have dwindled to some 2.000 adult members, many of whom are or have been imprisoned for their refusal to enlist.
* The War Resister, issue 83, Second Quarter 1959
Periodical, quarterly. Publisher: WRI. Format: A5. Issue 83, second quarter 1959. 16 pages.
The issue contains an article called ‘Another Adventure in Community Building’ by Margaret Barr (5 pages), which deals with the Khareng Rural Centre in India, that is set up according to Gandhian Principles.
* The War Resister, issue 84, Third Quarter 1959
Periodical, quarterly. Publisher: WRI. Format: A5. Issue 84, third quarter 1959. 16 pages.
The issue contains mostly miscellaneous news plus an article on campaigning against nuclear weapons. 
* The War Resister, issue 85, Fourth Quarter 1959
Periodical, quarterly. Publisher: WRI. Format: A5. Issue 85, fourth quarter 1959. 16 pages.
The opening article is ‘Visit to a Divided Germany’ by Stuart Morris (5 pages). Morris’ personal impressions of his trip to West and East Berlin, and the many changes that have occurred since his previous visit a decade earlier. 
* The War Resister, issue 86, First Quarter 1960
Periodical, quarterly. Publisher: WRI. Format: A5. Issue 86, first quarter, 1960. 16 pages.
The main article in this issue is ‘World Federal Government’ by Patrick Armstrong (5 pages). A plea for the creation of a world federal government, which would bring lasting peace, get rid of dictators and would provide a better life for everyone, both economically and in terms of the safeguarding of human rights.
* The War Resister, issue 87, Second Quarter 1960
Periodical, quarterly. Publisher: WRI. Format: A5. Issue 87, second quarter 1960. 16 pages.
The opening article is ‘A Gandhi Ideal’ (no author, 3 pages) which provides a thoughtful exploration on how to solve the problem of class distinctions in Britain and elsewhere by applying the approach developed by Gandhi and Bhave. 
* The War Resister, issue 88, Third Quarter 1960
Periodical, quarterly. Publisher: WRI. Format: A5. Issue 88, third quarter 1960. 16 pages.
A special issue on apartheid in South Africa after the Sharpville massacre, with articles arguing in favor of a limited trade boycott, a complete trade boycott and an all-encompassing boycott of South Africa.
* The War Resister, issue 89, Fourth Quarter 1960
Periodical, quarterly. Publisher: WRI. Format: A5. Issue 89, fourth quarter 1960. 32 pages.
Special issue on the Tenth Triennial International Conference in Gandhigram, India, which contains both the ‘Headquarters Report’ (6 pages) and ‘Reports of Sections’ (26 pages). For more information see WRI Archive Box 9, folder II and III.
* The War Resister, issue 90, First Quarter 1961
Periodical, quarterly. Publisher: WRI. Format: A5. Issue 90, first quarter 1961. 32 pages.
Special issue which contains the ‘Tenth Triennial Conference Report’, the ‘Address of Welcome’ by G. Ramachandran, the ‘Inaugural Address’ by Jayaprakesh Narayan, ‘Bhoodan, a developing movement’ by Siddharaj Dhadda and ‘The Gandhigram Statement’. For more information see WRI Archive Box 9, folder I, II and III.
* The War Resister, issue 91, Second Quarter 1961
Periodical, quarterly. Publisher: WRI. Format: A5. Issue 91, second quarter 1961. 16 pages.
The opening article ‘Thoughts on a World Peace Brigade’ (3 pages) is by Arlo Tatum. The article is a result of the founding of the Peace Brigade Committee by Arlo Tatum and Michael Scott. According to Tatum and Scott a World Peace Brigade should be independent (in its final stage it will have to be part of a World Government), might take over some of the tasks of a policing force, but in principle should steer away from that area, would have to rely exclusively on volunteers, be completely unarmed and should be an organization in which communist and non-communist countries work together within the confines of one World Peace Brigade. Tatum specifically mentions the American Peace Corps as one of their sources of inspiration. 
* The War Resister, issue 92, Third Quarter 1961
Periodical, quarterly. Publisher: WRI. Format: A5. Issue 92, third quarter 1961. 16 pages.
In this issue Eric Baker responds to the previous issue with his article ‘An International Police Force’ (2 pages), in which he envisages something akin to the present-day United Nations Peacekeeping Force. This issue also contains Arlo Tatum’s announcement of a special World Peace Brigade Conference and two further articles on Peace Brigades. 
The first one is by Asha Devi Aryanayakam, ‘Shanti Sena: The Peace Army of India’ (2 pages), in which the author traces the ideas for a World Peace Corps to 1938, when Gandhi first proposed a Peace Army. ‘Some time ago I suggested the formation of a Peace Brigade, whose members would risk their lives in dealing with riots, especially communal. The idea was that this Peace Brigade should substitute the police and even the military.’ The Indian people were not yet ready for this proposal, Gandhi would later admit. The lesson, according to the author, is that the membership of such a brigade could by its very nature not be very large. 
In 1951 the idea for a Peace Brigade was taken up by Bhave, and in the Summer of 1957 the first five Soldiers of Peace were enrolled. The ultimate objective was an army of 700.000 fulltime Soldiers of Peace, but at the time of writing, 1961, Aryanayakam acknowledges that the Army of Non-Violence is still in its initial stages. 
The second article is ‘The Peace Brigade Volunteer: What is Expected of Him?’ (3 pages) by Donald Groom. The minimum requirements according to Groom are: (1) ‘he or she must have a living faith in non-violence. This is impossible without a living faith in God [although this God may be of any shape or sort, or be merely a set of moral principles, GC]; (2) this messenger of peace must have equal regard for all the principal religions in the world; (3) he must have a character beyond reproach and must be known for his impartiality.’ According to Bhave (self-)discipline is of the utmost importance for an effective Peace Soldier: ‘The discipline of the violent should look pale before that of the non-violent’, but he also insists that the most important quality of a soldier of peace is compassion.