Covenanter Witness Vol. 55 - Rparchives.org

Current EventsProf. William H. Russell, Ph.D.FREEDOM OF TRAVELRacial segregation in interstate train and bus travel willbe prohibited by the Interstate Commerce Commission after January 10. The decision does not apply to travel within a state, but the effect will be to eliminate segregationthere too, except for local systems. Four Southern stateshave indicated that they will fight the order. It seems likely,however, that the U. S. Supreme Court would uphold theI.C.C., for the Court recently prohibited segregation in public recreational facilities.Federal District Judge Luther Youngdahl has ruled thatthe State Department cannot deny a citizen a passport without revealing the information on which the decision is based.This strengthens a decision made last June, that a citizencannot be refused a passport without a hearing. Americansthus are protected in their right to unrestricted travel.Youngdahl's ruling may also lead to a Supreme Court test ofthe use of "confidential information" in security cases.JOINING HANDSA new international agency, METO, recently was created by a conference at Baghdad, Iraq. It is the Middle EastTreaty Organization, linking Great Britain, Iran, Iraq, Turkey, and Pakistan. Through Turkey and Pakistan, METOwill be tied to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization onthe west and the Southeast Asian Treaty Organization onthe east. The purpose is to build an anti-Communist blocacross the northern zone of the Middle East. These countriesdo not have enough military strength to stop a determinedSoviet offensive, but their alliance is expected to have psychological value. Russian concern is shown by a sharp noteto Iran, warning that membership in METO will be considered a threat to the Soviet-Iranian frontier. Our weakness inthe Middle East is highlighted by the continued tension overIsrael, by Russia's arming of Egypt, and by the strife inCyprus.MORAL CLEANUPPremier Ngo Dinh Diem of South Vietnam has launcheda crusade against the "four plagues ofsociety"opiumsmoking, prostitution, gambling, and alcoholism. The campaign began with a huge public bonfire of opium pipes, indecent literature, and gambling devices. Gambling and prostitution in the capital city of Saigon formerly were majorsources of income for the government of Emperor Bao Dai,and the resulting moral corruption infected all levels of administration. The public establishments for these vices arenow being closed. Opium smoking also was legal under theold government, as long as the Frenchcontrolledstocks. The government is now closing the opiumdrug came fromdens and offering medical cures to addicts. Some of themore "advanced" nations could use leaders like Diem.NUCLEAR TESTSSoviet Russia has exploded a powerful hydrogen bombas part of a recent series of atomic tests. Russia exploded itsfirst atomic bomb in September, 1949, and has conductedseveral tests since then. The exact size of the latest bomb isnot known, but it was equal to at least one million tons ofTNT. The largest bomb we exploded in the Pacific last yearDecember 7, 1955had the power equivalent of 15 to 17 million tons of TNT.The Russians announced that theyexploded the bomb atgreat height, to keep the radioactive fallout at a minimum.However, Japan had a highlyradioactive rainfall. Our ownatomic scientists learned of the Russian test blast from theirsensitive detection apparatus, before the official Soviet announcement.RED PURGERecently the Soviet government announced the execution of six more former associates of Lavrenti Beria, once thehead of the great secret police system. Most of them wereformer police officials in Beria's home province of Georgia.Beria himself and six associates were executed in December,1953, and last year a second group of followers were liquidated. Since all these men were arrested at about the sametime, it appears that the Soviet government is spacing theexecutions to avoid the appearance of a great purge. Westernobservers believe that many lesser officials also have beeneliminated without public announcement, for Beria's secretpolice system reached into every level of Russian society.HONORABLE DISCHARGEA new directive of the Defense Department will removeone of the abuses of the government's security program.The armed forces no longer will be allowed to give dishonorable discharges to servicemen merely because they are foundto have been past members of organizations on the AttorneyGeneral's subversive list. A federal judge ruled that "asoldier has a right to an honorable discharge if his militaryrecord merits it," and this seems entirely just. The armedforces might very well bar persons with subversive recordsfrom positions of unusual trust, but theyshould not penalizethem for earlier actions not connected with the service. Adishonorable discharge has become a real punishment, forit often creates a barrier against future civilian employment.(Continued on page 373THE COVENANTER WITNESSIssued each "Wednesday by the Publication Board of theREFORMED PRESBYTERIAN" CHURCHOF NORTH AMERICAat 129 West 6th Street, Newton, Kansas orthrough its editorial office at 1209 Boswell Avenue, Topeka, Kansasto promote Bible Standards of Doctrine, Worship and LifeFor individuals, churches and nationsOpinions expressed in our columns are those of the individual writer,not necessarily the views of the Covenanter Church or of the Editor.Contributing EditorsFrank E. Allen, D.D.Prof. William H. RussellWalter McCarroll. D.D.Remo I. Robb, D.D.Dr. Raymond Taggart, D.D., Editor1209 Boswell Avenue, Topeka KansasDepartmental EditorsRev. John O. EdgarMrs. J. O. EdgarMrs. Ross LatimerSubscription rates: $2.50 per year ; Overseas, $3.00 ; Single Copies,10 cents.The Rev.British Isles.R. B. Lyons, B.A., Limavady, N. Ireland, Agent for theEntered as second class matter at the Post Office in Newtonunder the Act of March 3, 1879.Address communications to the Topeka office.Kansas,371