Post-War Council Seeking Answer to Peace Problem

In its declaration of principles the newly formed Council on Post-War problems clearly indicated that it would concentrate on a broad study of the war problems rather than attempting to blueprint the future peace.

Stressed in the statement was the non-partisan character of the organization and the necessity of a long range point of view in securing a permanent peace. The immediate aim of the group was termed "defining what we mean by victory." In connection with this the Council is preparing a forum meeting for December 18th on the issues in the Far Eastern war.

The text of the statement is:

"While the nation has sprung to wholehearted unity over the prosecution of the war effort, it is confused and ignorant about many of the issues involved. We are not sure what we mean by victory or what the ultimate ends of our policy are.

How are we going to make our present sacrifices guarantee the kind of peace we want? To have lasting unity we must understand these deeper issues. We must have a long range point of view based on tolerance and historical evidence. This is the peculiar task of students and scholars everywhere, and this is the task which the Harvard Council on Post-war Problems has set itself.

The primary questions we seek answers to concern the development of the twentieth century world.

1. What form of political organizations can bring stability and satisfy natural rights?

2. How can the economic resources of the world be fairly distributed among all its people?

3. What form must our domestic structure take to give the people the benefits of our great productive capacity?

4. Is there any belief or faith upon which international toleration can be founded?

These are the questions we must study and understand if our national policy is to have clarity and intelligence. They are the fundamental questions to which the present war is seeking the answers. This is a job for us, the generation which is going to fight the war and live in the peace. It is one we must tackle seriously and boldly if we are to make any sort of decent.

While the nation has sprung to