WHEREAS, our ethical, moral, and religious principles set forth in Section 2 of our Constitution, “To implement our vision of one world by striving for community founded on ideals of brotherhood, justice, and peace”; and

WHEREAS, although general and complete disarmament is one of the stated policies of the United States Government, concretely expressed by the establishment of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, there is very little public knowledge of or belief in the practical possibilities of progress in this field; and

WHEREAS, general and complete disarmament leading to world peace is one of the most consistently expressed and most fervently sought after goals of mankind; and

WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Association wishes to make its position, in addition to the position of the United States Government, on this critical world issue transparently clear; and

WHEREAS, the traditional concern of liberal religionists to promote and advance world peace may be enhanced by such a clarification of the public record;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Unitarian Universalist Association urge that:

1. The United States Arms Control and Disarmament Agency be made permanent and its budget expanded so that its vitally important efforts may be increased and effective personnel be procured;
2. The United States Congress be requested to appoint a Joint Arms Control and Disarmament Committee, composed of members of the Foreign Relations and Foreign Affairs Committees, Defense Committees, and Atomic Energy Committee, to inform Congress on the work of the Agency, and to help activate its program;
3. The United States and Canadian governments be asked to instruct their Ambassadors to the United Nations to support proposals for a United Nations Committee which would encourage and coordinate research efforts of all nations for disarmament and peace;
4. All Unitarian Universalist Association member societies support and cooperate with peace research and conflict resolution centers, and with other worthy voluntary organizations working for these goals, United States, Canadian, and United Nations studies of the economic effects of disarmament and make available as widely as possible and particularly to those who would be most affected, the results of such studies, as well as the reports of the United States Arms Control and Disarmament Agency and the United Nations on the feasibility of national and international economic reconversion to peaceful pursuits;
5. Our member societies immediately declare their support of the Administration’s efforts to secure an inspected test-ban treaty as preliminary to responsible disarmament, because such a treaty would:
   1. serve to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons;
   2. reduce the dangers of fallout;
   3. slow down the arms race;
   4. inhibit weapons development and thereby increase our security; and
   5. establish a precedent for an international inspection system which could provide a basis for confidence in other agreements.