4 6 2 D O C . 5 3 8 F O R I N T E R F A I T H P E A C E G R O U P 538. Appeal for an Interdenominational Working Group for Peace [Einstein et al. 1929c] Published 31 May 1929 In: Allgemeine Zeitung am Abend, 31 May 1929, p. 278. German religiously based organizations promoting thinking about peace and in- ternational understanding, the “Peace Society of German Catholics,” the Protestant “German Union of the World Alliance for International Friendship through the Churches,” and the “Jewish Peace Society,”[1] have merged to form an “Interde- nominational Working Group for Peace.” The working group makes the following appeal to the public: “The hope for international understanding and the establishment of a lasting peace is beginning to give way to a growing frustration and concern about the fu- ture. As witnesses to the World War, we are answerable to coming generations for preventing it from repeating its destructive violence in a form a thousand times more intense. Two goals are to be sought: to guard against a new war of annihila- tion, and to construct, through systematic work, a true, just, and stable peace. From the standpoint of religion and the ethical imperative arising from it, we must never relinquish the right to promote peace and to prepare practically for its enduring dominion. But today this right is becoming an imperious duty. The over- whelming majority of peoples want no more wars. Governments must also seek the maintenance of peace. This effort is in line with the demands of religion and mo- rality. Joined together, these powers are stronger than all the obstacles to peace. The disastrous error that has often made efforts to promote peace unsuccessful consists in the fact that people pin their hopes too much on material guarantees, which will remain ineffective without the cooperation of ideal factors. Above all, the latter can create the will to show mutual trust, justice, understanding, and consideration of the vital needs of other peoples as well. The ennoblement of the urge to fight inher- ent in human beings must go hand in hand with the moralization of political think- ing. It must be expressed constructively, not destructively. Fully acknowledging the obligation to preserve the national character and culture of each people, their creeds have long since recognized their duty to promote peace. Organizations have been founded that seek lasting peace on the grounds of ethical demands, not as the perpetuation of all that has happened as a license allowing all future injustices, but