TaÌˆgliches Cincinnatier volksblatt. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1885-1919, 1915-07-10

TO add the words, American siiinnh''
tion.n 10 tAs reports Of battles where
we have been silent allies.
9. Though this business Is earried on
by private capital for profit only Us
magnitude today is such that IT Involves
the nation. Foreign people know hos
| ing OF the Bethlehem Steel WORKS, .hs
Amarican Locomotive Company, or t"s
" estinghouse Air Brake Company. ihey
see a stream OF war-supplies issuing
from America, and the nation as a "ho'e
is charged with the responsibility .
few will pocket the profitsj our nation
will bear the ill-will created by TINS
industry and the sense of shame that
may come TO us when history writes her
verdict on this iateful year. In fact we
are jointly responsible. No one can
trace how widely the industrial and IN
tellcctual forces Of our country are IN
directly tributary to the success Of tue
war traders Our government has the
power 10 forbid the expectation oi
arms. II the nation is silent, il con
gents to what is done. II our own
citizens were being killed in large num-
bers by some rapaeious form OF industry,
AN awakened conscience would justly
hold us all responsible for permitting
it. when the injury Is done abroad
our consent as nation, In the com
mon judgment of humanity, stands oat
even more clearly.
4. II we accept the Inherited ethics Of
p.litie,d life nj all. the nations at war
have a terrible warrant for their energy
Ii constructing and using the forces o'
death. Each nation believes It - hght'
ins for the integrity OF its land. the
safety Of its Homes. the preservation o.
its historic institutions, and lts future
freedom and greatness. When any
ration sees itself threatened WITH dii'
incmbermcnt Of its territory, the ruin
OF its efficiency, the breaking oi ~
spirit and the emaseulation OF its col
lcctivc yirility, there is u sombre rem
nant Of moral dignity even in acts o'
war. But our nation Is under no sucn
stress. our war industry gets no just
fication from the right OF sclf-defensH.
With Us II Is a question OF cash. n
our Revolutionary War German
prinecling sold the military services O.
several thousand Hessians to England.
They are held IN contemptuous remeni'
hranee in our history. Why! They fought
efficiently. But they fought the bAt'ls
Of an alien country for hire. Is there
any moral analogy herei
8. The Christian sentiment OF our
people has taken high moral ground on
the war questions. We have pitied the
European nations for their bleeding de-
ISOLATION. We have leetursd them on
their niadness. We have solemnly met,
at the cal! Of our President, and prayed
Almighty God TO end the war. But
whom lucrative contracts came our way,
a tremor OF cupidity ran through finan
cial circles. certain stocks went up by
leaps ard bounds, and the vast social
resources OF America turned around -
feed and stoke the fires OF destruction.
Where was the effectiveness OF the
american conscience then7 The desire
for peace among the nations has been
cne Of the noblest elements in our ma.
tional faith, but the stronger that de
sire has 1een, the more shocking il the
contradiction between our professions
and our practice. All honor 70 thos:
business men who refused on moral
grounds war contracts! They desery"
more than the mlrmur OF surprise anil
respect which greeted their action. II
tHis war proves to be the bloody anRli
at which the road turns from, ages OF
warfare 70 an age of peace, History for
centuries TO come will study the par;
played by different nations on thi'
Calvary Of humanity. Is America thea
Ia stpnd in the sight Of posterity with
a bag in its handsi
@. Perhaps the most dangerous pro.
duct Of the war trade Is not the ANNA
nition sent abroad, but the finaneial
interests built up here at honie.rhese IN
terests are directly concerned in seeing
the war continue, and in seeing u
spread. Peace would be calamity 70
them. II sincere negotiations for peae,
should begin tomorrow. their stock
would tumble. We know how dseply
and insidiously commercial interests can
influence tho press when change IN
public opinion threatens their profit.
We know BY bitter experience what po.
litiesl pressure they can bring to bear.
The future Of these war interests de-
pends wholly on the political action Of
governments. II is likely that they
viii flourish IN our country withou.
registering their existence In national
poiitiesi Enormous pressure is said :,
have been brough; 10 bear on the Presi
dent in May and June TO issne an ulii.
matum TO Germany and we have trem.
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