ROOSEVELT ASKS CHURCHES' HELP IN SEARCH FOR PEACE

Humanity's deep longing for peace found a measure of encouragement at Christmas as President Roosevelt, King George, Pope Pius XII, Protestant church leaders, and Jewish Rabbis reached out for some tangible way to lift the burden of war. Powerful forces moved, as yet largely unseen, prayerful, urgent.

Chief events, in many instances overriding divisions of creed in the quest of peace, are:

Grateful support coming from Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Jewish clergymen in response to Mr. Roosevelt's appeal to throw their influence behind the cause of world peace.

Appointment of Myron C. Taylor, an Episcopalian, by the President as peace ambassador to the Vatican.

King George in his Christmas broadcast to the British Empire echoed the people's desire for a just termination of warfare.

The Pope issued a five-point program ``for a just and honorable peace''. . . .

In the unexpected and dramatic announcement on Christmas Eve President Roosevelt directed a call to spokesmen of Protestant, Jewish, and Roman Catholic faiths urging their followers in all lands to unite their strength, to build a moral and Christian basis for the restoration of justice and freedom.

The Monitor is looking back at the events of World War II.