Under two banners
Media
Part of The Cabletow
- Title
- Under two banners
- Creator
- Araneta, Salvador
- Language
- English
- Source
- The Cabletow Volume II (New Series No. 3) January 1960
- Year
- 1960
- Rights
-
- Fulltext
- Under T)wo banners By Dr. SALVADOR ARANETA President, Araneta University I am a Filipino and a Catholic. In my country we have the problem of great unemployment and poverty. Be fore coming here I thought that all that was essential to insulate the Philippines from Communism was to solve our eco nomic problems. I cherish for my country the social well-being, not of the big powers, but of the small nations like the Scandi navian countries. But the story of Russia's demands on Finland, men tioned here a few days ago, was a revel ation.to me. I now sec the great danger of trading with Communist countries. Trading is a form of dependence. Be cause most of our trade is with Ame rica, we depend much on America. But America never told us: “Fill the Ca binet with these men or we stop trad ing with you." Yet our friendly re lations with America are deteriorating. We gave all for the cause of democracy during the last war. We lost more than one million men. Manila was one of the most devastated cities in the last war. But in that great crisis there were no misunderstandings between Filipinos and Americans. Why? Dur ing the war Filipinos and Americans had the spirit to give, whatever the cost. In the war, we had the MRA spirit. This has all gone with peace. Todav the spirit is “tit for tat’’. How much can I get from him? And so today there are several “irritants” (that is the word commonly used) in the relations bet ween the two countries. True, some economic aid is extended by America, but in many cases, in use less projects, and the aid is wasted and ineffective. Long drawn out negotiations have been going on to re-examine the military bases agreement. The subject of criminal jurisdiction of offenses is a knotty problem. It has arisen because of actual instances of conflicting views between the two Governments. These problems appear very serious in the Philippines. Caux they look un important compared to the problem in Cyprus, now happily solved with the work of MRA men, and the problem of Algeria, so much the concern of this Conference. But let us not wait while the Philippine-Amcrican problem develops into a major one. I therefore make bold to suggest that MRA invite the American and Philippine negotiators to come to Caux. Secretary Serrano of Foreign Af fairs is a friend of MRA and I am confident that in this atmosphere of Caux, greater progress would be made in thp long-drawn negotiations .of the retention of the military base agreement that has been going on in Manila for the past many, many months. A second problem that we have today in the Philippines is the Chinese prob lem. They dominate the economic life of the nation. Today they are loyal to Nationalist China. This loyalty would he most doubtful once Red China is iccognized by our Governments, or in 87 other wavs acquire a greater influence m the Philippines, and that recognition would be forced on us once Red China is recognized bv America. We there fore prav that America will never re cognize Red China. But America's nosition on this point starts to waver. I do not have time to discuss the Chinese problem in my country at length. It has many phases. But again, 1 believe that a group of prominent Filipinos and Chinese should come to Caux to study the problem in the light of the four absolutes. The relaxation of thte morals in our land is another problem. In no small measure this is due to modern movies. I am happy to hear that MRA is film ing all the plays that it has produced, and I wish to slate that I would feel privileged to be instrumental in in troducing them into my country. I came here convinced that MRA had changed the lives of many people and made them new men. But I have to confess that I thought that personally I was not in need of this conference. I leave this conference with many les sons learned, with many valued friend ships acquired and, I trust, a little better I am a Catholic and looked upon by many as a prominent Catholic. And as you may know, many dignitaries of our Church do not yet look with favor to MRA. This has pained me much. Because I do not see incompatibility between my faith and MRA—and work ing together, in a common goal, to change men and change the world, the accomplishments of the united ef forts would be far greater. MRA has strengthened mv faith and it has cer tainly stimulated me to change and be a better man, by the example, the de dication and the unselfishness of others who no not belong to my faith. Here, we are made to see the prob lem of Communism from a global view, and no attempt is made to con ceal either the magnitude or the urgency of the problem. Nowhere has it been better explained to me the connection between lack of puritv and lack of the other standards on the one hand, and Communism on the other. And now here have I acquired a greater deter mination to be a part of this great moral army to win the minds and hearts of men for God and away from godless Communism. We leel no longer dis mayed and depressed, however great the difficulty ahead. We see that we are not alone, that although individual ly, if working separately, we would not count for much; but united under God, living the tenets of our faith and under the banner of MRA, we have an im portant part to play. Great conversions, great generous decisions, great human changes are taking place here at Caux. And I see now that we underestimate the good ness and generosity of youth. And man can be generous once he has been shown that there is something great, something noble for which he can live, and that is the remaking of the world. I think this is the secret of Moral Re Armament. My Church, the Catholic Church, admonishes us to be good to reach Heaven. To an immortal soul, Heaven should be more important than remak ing the world. But somehow to many, such a thought does not register. But what is happening here at Caux has demonstrated that a plan that calls for a radical change in ourselves, to remake our families, to remake our countries, to remake the world, does appeal to many minds and hearts. MRA is today truly international dynamic force that has given a lesson, 88 THE CABLE TOW January, 1960 a mission and a vision in life. In Mo ral Re-Armament, persons of all colors □ nd creeds do meet and find a com mon platform, where the wishes of of Pope Pius XII are being fulfilled when he said: “On the ruins of a social order which has given tragic proof of its importance to create the well-being of the peoples, must not all great souls, all men of God, unite in a solemn battle in which thev will know no rest until in all states and in all nations of the earth, legions of men arc trained who are absolutely decided to reconstruct the social edifice upon the unshakeable centre of gravity of the Divine Law, and who are unitediv dedicated to the service of persons and communities which must re-find in God their true nobility.” Because I am a Catholic, because 1 wish to participate in the realization of the vision of the future of Pope Pius XII, I hope I shall be permitted to be a crusader, to be a fisher of men, un der the two banners, that of the Cath olic Church and that of Moral Re Armament. ♦ (Reprint from MRA Magazine) AAA Why should we be tn such desperate J/aste to succeed and in such despe* rate enterprises'1 If a man does not keep pace with his companions, it is perhaps because he hears a different drummer. Let hit:: step to the music which he hears, however measured or far mvny. — Henry Thoreau. All who have meditated on the art of governing mankind have been con vinced! that the fate of empires de pends on the education of youth. Baradi on Home Leave MWB Mauro Baradi, PGM, and Minister Plenipotentiary of the Phil ippines to the United Nations, Chair man of the Advisory Committee of that bod)’ to Italian Somaliland, arrived in Manila two days before Christmas for a well-earned home leave after three and a half years in Somalia helping that trust territory to prepare itself for an independent existence. Past Grand Master Baradi, while on overseas assignment, spent most of his time in Somalia and part of each year in New York when the General As sembly of the United Nations was in session. Most of the time as member of the Advisory Committee, he was elected as its Chairman to preside at the deliberations of the committee which has charge of helping organize and maintain an indigenous govern ment in Somalia. While under the trust agreement in the United Nations, Somalia was to get her independence on Dec. 31, 1960, under the influence and effort of MWB Baradi, rhe United Nations committee agreed to move the date of independence of Somalia earlier. During his short home sojourn, MWB Baradi, fluent and forceful speaker that he is, has had to fill speak ing engagements in civic groups, clubs, chufches, and radio stations in addition to Masonic lodges. Word has been received that in Somalia he is highly respected for his help in writing their constitution and in laying the ground work for a democratic government. On January 8 MWB Baradi flew back to Somalia to rejoin the rest of the family and continue working there un til the country is proclaimed indepen dent on July 1, 1960. 89