TaÌˆgliches Cincinnatier volksblatt. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1885-1919, 1914-12-22
The Calamities Of the War.

There is no disputing the fact that
the European war causes great misery
and hardship in this country. They
manifest themselves by unemployment
that for its extent parallels the period
from 1892 to 1896 and even surpasses
these melancholy years in distress for
the reason that they at least afforded
the relief of low cost OF living while
in this year poor people suffer from the
combined misery OF scant wages. and q
high cost of everything necessary to
keep body and soul together That a
war on the other side OF the ocean
should have produced this direful effect
is easily explained. Our exports of half
finished and entirely finished goods to
European countries has almost entirely
ceased, and what little might be sent
abroad, is hampered by the arbitrary
rules dictated by England that have
lad the effect to eXtinguish the export
OF metals, particularly copper, which
british war SHIPS seize as contrabanf
OH the ground that they might be sent
to her enemies.
Even our domestic trade is checked
and curtailed by. the inability to obtain
law material, chemicals and dye stuffs
that we must have TO keep OUT woolen
and cotton factories in operation, which
supply employment TO hundred thous-
ands OF working men and women
Moreover our whole financial system
ia deranged and demoralized. Our
market for stocks and bonds Is kept
within narrow limits from fear that an
open market might and even would to
a certainty swamp this country with
american papes held abroad and drain
as OF our gold. Foreign credit which
has animated enterprise in this country
Is out OF the question. All these causes
could not but bring on the misery OF
unemployment which is bound to be-
come worse from day to day. II is clear
that only peace can restore normal
conditions. The President INDUCES the
hope that in the near future his services
would be called upon to terminate the
bloody and devastating conflict in
Europe. This hope is illusory. The vast
extent of the nations engaged in the
wa and the complex issues involved
admit of no other arbiter but the
sword 1t will be fight to finish, a
war Of attrition of a duration that
makes the heart sick and faint to think
OF. Pacificists declaim with noble
eloquence against war. Men and women
pray for peace. Pleadings and prayers
are in vain - nothing but exhaustion
can stay the fury and with the immence
resources stored up for the Amaggedon,
which had been anticipated for years,
tie exhaustion tlat is to compel peace
Is far off. Thus our miseries will be
eudless and accumulate with every day.
The public prints, assisted by feeling
mon and women appeal to our capi-
talists to aid in rslieying this distress,
and TO their credit IL must be said that
they are not deaf to these entreaties.
A considerablo number OF mannfact-
urers keep their plants in operation at
great loss with the charitable object TO
supply bread 10 their workingmen. But
before such world wide calamity
charity staggers and kindness grows
faint.
But there is O way to peace which it
is in the power Of the American nation
10 open up aud to prove herself a
beneiactress TO mankind All carnage
will cease. all wounds stop TO bleed and
all poverty will disappear, II our people
would prevail upon thePresident and
Congress TO put an end TO a traffic
that manifestly tends 10 Danish peace
and TO protrnct the agony. We refer to
the expectation OF war supplies to the
be!ligerents. Every ship that leaves our
barbors is loaded to the guards with
rifles, machine guns, cannons, car
I, idges, armored trucks, and whatever
tae implements OF modern warfare may
he Hundred Of thousands OF men
have been sent to their graves by the
guns we send to the warning nations.
Millions are suffering excrueiating pains
from wounds caused by American bull
let's. II is as plain and evident as
anything can be that il these ship
ments were prohibited, the carnage in
Europe and the distress in our country
rnust come to speedy end. And all
prayers that we send up to heaven for
peace appear a mockery in view OF the
fact, that while we implore heaven 10
turn the minds of men to peace, we
furnish the material TO keep alive the
horrors OF war. Such Inconsistency, to
use mild term, is unworthy of us.
Let us act honestly and humanely by
employing the means that can secure
peace. Let every man and woman write
tc their representative in Congress 20
vote for the bills which prohibit the
expectations that prolong slaughter
in Europe and cause misery in this