babies. According to "Nestlé tötet Babys", what was actually happening was nowhere near so nice. When mothers switched from breast feeding to powdered milk, as a result of these campaigns, infant mortality rose rather than dropping. Nestlé wanted to defend itself against that accusation. And it clearly thought Ernest W. Lefever was the right man for the job. Moreover, Nestlé also managed to obtain judgment against the "Nestlé tötet Babys" group; however, the judge let it be known that there was in fact a grain of truth in the group's accusation!

PREPARED STATEMENT OF THE BOARD OF CHURCH AND SOCIETY, UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

The history of the denomination of which we are a part is one of numerous examples of concern for the rights of persons-whether they be debitors imprisoned in 18th century England, the fight against slavery in this country. or most recently, the struggle for political self-determination of people living under colonial and neo-colonial regimes.

As a member denomination of the National Council of Churches, we would like to extend total support for the testimony of Mr. William Howard, President of the National Council of Churches, which was orally delivered at the committee hearings on May 19th. We cannot but reiterate the clarity with which his statement pointed out Mr. Lefever's connections with South Africa, South Korea, and the Nestle Corporation. We feel that Mr. Lefever's writings in the past on issues related to human rights will have serious ramifications, not only with U.S. allies overseas, but within ethnic groups in the United States. The nominee lacks sensitivity to the needs of Blacks, Hispanics and Asian persons living in the United States, and this sentiment is well articulated in his speeches and writings on various occasions. All these have been well documented in oral testimony before the committee on May 19th.

We are disturbed by Mr. Lefever's assertion that the United States needs "quiet diplomacy" in the area of human rights. He himself however, has not been "quiet." He has been rather vocal, especially defending the white minority regime South Africa, and the dictatorships of South Korea and Chile, under the assumption that because these governments are friends of the United States, we can use friendly persuasion to bring about a "change of heart." While this may be true, Mr. Lefever also insinuates that people living under these regimes are not capable of taking care of themselves and need dictorial rgimes to do so.

Mr. Lefever has openly criticized the National Council of Churches as well as individual denominations. We are saddened to realize that there is a basic difference in the ideology that defines the work of our denomination and Mr. Lefever's. United Methodism believes in, and advocates, as was well stated as far back as in 1939, "The Kingdom of God cannot be built upon foundations of economic injustice. We are told by some that it is not the function of the Church to discuss such matters. The Church makes no claim to expertise in economics and engineering, although within its membership are highly trained economists and engineers. Methodism does assert, however, that since every unit in the statistical table descriptive of unemployment is a human being, we are vitally concerned and have full authority from the teachings of Jesus to demand the elimination of those anti-social facts. We will not be silenced by critics who offer no solution to these problems."

Mr. Lefever, on the other hand disagrees with this premise and feels that we would do well to heed the ideology of "accepting what we cannot change." We are aware that Mr. Lefever will disagree with us on many occasions. It is not on this account that we are opposed to his nomination. We are opposed to it because we feel that, given his record, it would be impossible for him to do justice to the work of human rights, that which he vehemently denies.

"Peace is not simply the absence of war, a nuclear stalemate stalemate or combination of uneasy cease-fires. It is that emerging dynamic reality envisioned by prophets where spears and swords give way to implements of peace (Isaiah 2:1-4); where historic antagonists dwell together in trust (Isaiah 11:4-11); and where righteousness and justice prevail. There will be no peace with justice until unselfish and informed love are structured into political processes and international arrangements" (Bishops' Call for Peace and the Self-Development of Peoples).

The mission of Jesus Christ and his church is to serve all peoples regardless of their government, ideology, place of residence, or status. Surely the welfare of humanity is more important in God's sight than the power or even the continued existence of any state. Therefore, the church is called to look beyond human boundaries of nation, race, class, sex, political ideology, or economic theory, and to proclaim the demands of social righteousness essential to peace.

The following are interrelated areas which must be dealt with concurrently in a quest for lasting peace in a world community.

1. Disarmament

One hard fact must be stated bluntly: the arms race goes on, the momentum of the race never slackens, and the danger of a holocaust is imminent. Meanwhile, millions starve, development stagnates, and international cooperation is threatened. Increasingly sophisticated weapons systems accelerate arms spending and heighten anxieties without adding to the security of the nations. Again and again, regional tensions grow, conflicts erupt, and great powers intervene to advance or protect their interests without regard to inter

national law or human rights.

True priorities in national budgeting are distorted by present expenditures on weapons. Because of fear of unemployment, profits, and contributions to national balance of payments, the arms industry. engenders massive political power. Arms producing nations seek to create markets, then vie with one another to become champion among the arms merchants of the world. Food, health, social services, jobs, and education are vital to the welfare of nations. Yet the availability of all of these is constantly threatened because of the overriding priority given by governments to what is called "defense."

If humanity is to move out of this period of futility and constant peril, the search for new weapons systems must be halted through comprehensive international agreements. Moreover, disarmament negotiations should include all nations with substantial armaments systems. The vast stockpiles of nuclear bombs and conventional weapons must be dismantled under international supervision, and the resources being used for arms be diverted to programs. designed to affirm life rather than destroy it. Serious consideration should be given by nations to unilateral initiative which might stimulate the reaching of international agreement.

Where nations in a specific region band together to bar nuclear weapons from the area as encouraged by the international community, we commend such constructive agreements and urge other countries, particularly the great powers, to respect them.

The goal of world disarmament, demanding a radical reordering of priorities and coupled with an effective system of international peacemaking and peacekeeping, must constantly be kept before peoples and governments by the church.

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II. Human Rights

Millions of people still live under oppressive rule and various forms of exploitation. Millions more live under deplorable conditions of racial, sexual, and class discrimination. In many countries many persons including Christians are suffering repression, imprisonment, and torture as a result of their efforts to speak truth to power.

Action by governments to encourage liberation and economic justice is essential but must be supported by parallel action on the part of private citizens and institutions, including the churches, if peaceful measures are to succeed. Unless the prevailing oppression and denial of basic human rights are ended, violence on an increasing scale will erupt in many nations and may spread throughout the world. The human toll in such conflict could be enormous and could result in new oppression and further dehumanization.

We are concerned for areas where oppression and discrimination take place, and specifically for Namibia and South Africa, where white minorities continue to oppress and discriminate against black majorities through legal systems.

This concern extends to all situations where external commercial, industrial, and military interests are related to national oligarchies which resist justice and liberation for the masses of people. It is essential that governments which support or condone these activities alter their policies to permit and enable people to achieve genuine self-determination.

III. The United Nations

International justice requires the participation and determination of all peoples. We are called to look beyond the "limited and competing boundaries of nation-states to the larger community of humanity" (Bishops' Call for Peace and the Self