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Salient: Victoria University Students' Paper. Vol. 28, No. 9. 1965.

Archbishop McKeefry

Archbishop McKeefry

His Grace Archbishop McKeefry, of the Roman Catholic Church, sees the situation in Vietnam as part of a Chinese policy to extend control over the whole of South-east Asia, India and Africa. He believes that there is definite proof of Communist aggression in Vietnam, and only those favouring Red China's policy could deny this.

His Grace feels that the invasion of Tibet was the first step in a plan to isolate India, and that the collapse of Vietnam with subsequent invasions of Thailand, Burma and Malaysia would complete the process. Were success to attend China's efforts (and those being made in Africa, Latin America and elsewhere), the West would find itself dominated by a Communist Asiatic mainland. Where would Australia and New Zealand be in such a situation?

These statements, Archbishop McKeefry contends, involve issues of morality and so the Christian must concern himself about them. His Grace points to the fact that Peking, Hanoi and Moscow have rejected the British Prime Minister's proposals for negotiation, showing that the Communist powers wish the war to continue.

"No sane person wants war," the Archbishop said, "but equally no sane person wants a bogus peace. Those who have pledged themselves to resist aggression have no choice but to resist, especially when they seek to defend values that derive their validity from Christianity, and without it would cease to exist."