Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-11-23
Government Made War Material.


David Starr Jordan has just said
that he would diminish temptation by
taking the manufacture of all the
tools of war from private concerns.
He would have government ownership
and operation of all arms-making es-
adjustments. On this point the Chris
tan Science Monitor recently said:
From sources of information not
eager to herald the fact, but hinder
compulsion to do so in order to main
tain a reputation for journalistic en-
terprise, there come limitations that
the administration at Washington is
likely to proceed steadily forward in
assuming for the government mo-
noply of construction of naval craft
and manufacture of ammunition and
supplies of a military sort. Secretary
Josephus Daniels of the navy depart
ment no doubt is farther along this
road than is Secretary Lindley NJ.
Garrison of the war department; but
each of these administrators has had
enough experience with tentative and
partial applications of the new system
to induce them to make other expert
ments. OF course, In Secretary OF
State William j. Bryan, who as
paeifist knows the responsibility of
shipbuilding and armor- making Inter
ests" for so much of the opposition
to peace treaties, the new plan has a
friend Once cut out from the legis-
lative lobby those agents of the cor
porations and of individuals who get
rich out of war and ornaments and
the efforts of presidents and secretaries
of state to give effect to a non-mili-
tant public opinion will not.be thwart-
ed so often.
so much for the moral side Of the
affair Experiments made up to date
show that from the pecuniary stand
point taxpayers lose nothing and gain
something by letting government do
what hitherto usually has been done
by citizen bidders. The collision that
often now exists between rivals main
tains prices and bids at attitudes which
seem lofty, and are so, as invariably
is discovered when the government it
self does the work. A vigilant and
honest department chief can expose
such collision, and in some cases can
force genuine competitive bidding for
a season. But If reform Is made 1t is
apt to have no permanence. This the
department heads are realizing, and
consequently are now questioning the
system itself
Moreover it is being understood
that private industries often incite
war if they depend on it solely for
large profits. With government con-
troll or ownership of such forms of
business the hands of irenic states
men cannot then be forced through the
influence on the press and on law
makers of manufacturers and traders
who sell what is used by armies and
navies."
Observers have for years pointed out
that arms makers accelerate military
expenditure. 1t was proven in the
German courts, a few years ago, that
the Krupps had military officers on
secret pay roll. American armor plate
makers have not escaped suspicion,
and in every country it is probably
true that powerful financial interests
are concerned in keeping alive inter
national suspicion. jealousy and war
temper Indirectly such interests are
to blame for the present awful con-
ditions in Europe. They have I'M
ceasingly famed the flame of war
spirit
We are not surprised that DR.. Jor-
dan should make such a Recommended
ton, but we should follow with great
interest, any attempt to adopt such
national policy. Our faith is pledged
in a battle of intelligence against the
influences which promote evil, rather
than waste all our energies on the
evil itself. If we cannot abolish war,
then let us remove an influence which
steadily exerts pressure for war.