THE CHURCH AND WAR [To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.]
SIR,—I am afraid that the letter of Sir Frederick Maurice in
your issue of April 12th does not entirely meet the difficulties of the Rev. P. M. Gedge and of other Christian people who maintain that the use of air force is always war, and that its innate evil is not reduced by calling it police work. The argument seems to be : " We agree that if a rifle be placed in the hands of a policeman that act does not change him into a soldier ; he remains a policeman. But if you put bombs at the disposal of an airman he cannot in any circumstances be accepted by Christians as a supporter of law and order; he is always a menace to civilization."
Let us consider the functions of police and then ask our-
selves if it be not, after all, possible to use God's gift of aviation to establish peace. I think we may agree with a writer on this subject, who says that police must be impartial, not retaliatory,
not punitive, careful of human life while maintaining law and order (if necessary by force). They must never strike the first blow and they should be so organized and their standing orders such as to produce prompt action.
For the fulfilment of these functions internationally, Rear- Admiral R. N. Lawson has proposed that all European aviation be internationalized, so removing the risk of fighting in the air. There remain the risks of invasion by land and sea. The duty of the international air force would be to patrol land and sea frontiers as guards. Should any land force be seen by observation from the air), to cross a frontier, the air force would immediately cut the lines of communication behind the invading force, by-high-explosive bombs. The object would be to destroy roads, railroads, bridges—not human beings ; but if tanks, &c., were able to proceed and maintain their own communications, they must be treated as " lines of communication " and be destroyed. Action from the air ceases as soon as further advance across the frontier has been stopped. In the event of invasion by sea the air force would operate over a sea-belt of predetermined width round the coast of the invaded -State. Details of Admiral Lawson's demilitarized zones, on all frontiers, over which and over which only standing orders would allow the air force to operate, distribution and enlistment of the force, &c., &c., can hardly be gone into here, but they are set out in his writings.
Given the only air force in Europe, and that of overwhelm- ing strength, is it conceivable that any State would attempt invasion ? But if we assume such a possibility, may we not agree that an air force, acting in accordance with the standing orders outlined above, would be fulfilling police and not martial functions ? And is not this an application of aviation for the attainment of which all Christians should resolutely
work ?—I am, Sir, yours, &c., HUGII LEADER. Stanton, Headley Down, Bordon, Hants.
Previous page
