Common Cause

The problem of Europe's refugees is one of the biggest challenges ever presented to Christian charity. For three days last week, a group of eminent churchmen and laymen met together in Salzburg, Austria to wrestle with the problem of the 300,000 refugees of German origin now in Austria. The conference, called by the World Council of Churches, decided that all refugees should be classified together, regardless of race or religion, given special stateless passports and placed under the responsibility of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.

The World Council and its members were pleased by the fact that Protestant and Roman Catholic cooperation on the refugee problem was progressing. Taking part in the conference was Msgr. Jacob Weinbacher, chief of the Austrian Caritas, international Roman Catholic welfare organization. Said he: "When I received the invitation, I was hesitant. I asked my papal nuncio whether I should go ... whether I should merely sit or join in the talks. It is most fortunate that both churches have decided to meet the social implications of refugee work together."

On behalf of the Protestants, young Stewart Herman, chief of the Lutheran World Federation Immigration Service, explained: "It's not a question of Catholics' supplying more rosaries or our supplying more layettes. What's happened is that we've recognized the social obligations of our churches as identical and have . . . united to raise our voices on behalf of the refugees. We only hope our pleas will be heard."

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