Jewish, Catholic, Protestant Religious Leaders Issue Joint Call on Education

One hundred and forty outstanding Protestant, Catholic and Jewish religious leaders have signed a joint statement calling for the early establishment of a permanent International Office for Education on the ground that the war had reached a stage “where it is of prime importance to consider the shape of the civilization we want, civilization based on friendliness and collaboration among individuals, groups and nations.”

The statement was made public today by Dr. Harlow shapley of the Harvard Observatory from the office of the American Association for an International Office for Education of which he is president. It calls for effective education on all levels and peaceful collaboration to advance educational development, without interference with the educational systems of any country. “The further peace and security of the American people, as of all peoples,” it maintains, “rests upon the attainment of mutual understanding, the applications of reason and knowledge to the solution of human problems and — as an indispensable means to their objective — effective education on all levels.

“We can only hope to overcome destructive aggression and to reduce the possibility of further war to the extent that we can infuse human minds and human institutions with ethical and spiritual purposes,” the statement says. “Education is a necessary instrument to this end.”