Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-03-16
LOADING Guns for Murderers.

munitions for the OlOO0y war now
raging in Europe. When asked as to
his reasons he said:
when this war is over and the
warning nations take their hands out
Of the washtub see what is left.
The Driggs-Seabury Ordnance
Corporation has turned down orders
for millions Of dollars worth Of war
munitions in the last four months.
Perchance there are some persons
who discredit the statement; conse-
cuently l will show you sample or
two Of orders which we might have
booked which would have kept our
plant going on full shifts night and
day had its officers consented to be-
come a contributing factor to the
carnage now putting millions Of men
in Europe under the ground and on
crutches."
Thank Heaven for that much! May
the firm prosper and find that graft
fication which great money returns
cannot bring. Today American arms
and war supplies menace American
life and property in Mexico. II the
United States should be compelled to
enter Mexico to quell the bandits and
settle the conditions Of anarchy and
brigandage there, her forces would
have to face guns made in America
and loaded with American ammuni
ton.
IN, hn Eur vr-ov arfo
Germs have been reaping a financial
harvest by. as Mr.. Stevenson says,
selling munitions to put men under
ground and on crutches."
During the Napoleonic wars, the
United States did not aid one
belligerent at the, expense of another
the shipment of arms was prohibit
ed. During the Franco Prussian war
President Grant signed the document
to prohibit the expectation Of arms to
the belligerents. Practically all the
leaders of other neutral nations in the
present war have followed a similar
course.
Modern warfare" said Mr.. Steven
son, lis merely a question Of the best
and implements and the longest purse.
when the billions upon billions Of
dollars have been expended and the
millions upon millions Of men killed o.
manned or SO shattered in health that
they are unable to follow their daily
work, the conflagration ceases. Thea
falls the burden Of this ruthless
butchery upon the under dog and he
must stagger through life under the
load. He must foot the bills, must
pay, pay and pay until patience ceases
and rebellion rules. Then comes
reputation of the so-called govern
ment bonds and revolution.
Isn't it far better not to be q party
to the bloody war in Europe?'
prolonging the war. increasing the
agony of noncombatants, deepening
the rivers Of blood.
Human welfare is not advanced by
slaughter and the horrors of conflict.
Private interests which conflict with
human welfare and progress are out
laws Of society. Selfish sensualists
who stand on personal liberty" are
modern civilizations disgrace. They
stand on imaginary private rights
and interests and do not seem to
realize that they are Caught with
the goods by every thinking human
being.
A recent writer has said that
"legalizing injustice makes law il
legitimate, for the reason that law
must rest on justice, and not with the
inclination Of man, or brand Of men,"
We agree, and we hate to classify
those firms which are getting rich by
making and selling material to kill
and main and starve and outrage the
brothers and sisters and children If
friendly nations. with the soulless in
dividuals Of this country who make
and sell intoxicating poison--but they
are off the same piece, in the bust
ness of tapping human trees for the
blood that brings them gold.
Our corporation will take no part
in the bloody business. am OPP
posed to war on principle. War is 4
crime against civilization" says the
head Of this great ordnance COM
pany.
Predicting social revolution,
worldwide in its scope, when hard
headed. deep thinking people awake
to a realization Of the terrific debt
they must shoulder as an outcome Of
the war, Mr.. Stevenson said:
There has been such an enormous
issue Of paper securities called gov
eminent bonds that the workaday
world staggers under the load. The
payment of interest on these bonds,
which in the long run has to be met,
must be paid by the sweat and toll Of
the laboring people.
These payments will be so heavy
as to cause democracy at large to re-
woke and repudiate the debts, just as
was done by nine Of the Southern