Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-02-24
The World Wide War Trust

70 pay. just as he always has done and
Just as the stone in the bottom of the
wall bears the weight OF its more for
tunate brethren on the top.
Two billion dollars have been col
( lected in 10 years from the men, wom-
en- and children of our nation for mill
tarism, sum sufficient TO dig the Pan
ANA canal. pay on the national debt,
with enough left to defray for one
whole year the entire expenses of all
the churches, including foreign mis-
sions. all the free schools, colleges and
universities in America.
And the end is not yet. The war
traffickers have not finished reaping
their harvest; they are just getting in
good trim 10 make US pay the cost OF
militarism in real earnest American
people. listen to this little colloquy
which occurred recently at one of the
hearings OF the naval AFFAIRS committee
between Representative Finly Gray OF
Indiana and Admiral Vreeland, a big
navy booster:
Mr.. Gray: wish TO inquire of the
admiral II it is not the policy of other
governments TO increase their navies
with all the other leading powers?
Admiral Vreeland. IL is. sir.
MIR. Gray: What would be the ad-
vantage to US or any other powers if
the navies We're increased equally by
all the nations of the world? Would
there be any advantage to US or TO any
other power?
Admiral Vreeland: Not If you
mean In the same ratio.
MIR. Gray; Would not the same
grounds exist after an increase for a
further increase?
Admiral Vreeland. II would seem
so.
Mr.. Gray: There would he no ad-
vantage gained by any nation. then.
How long could that be maintained.
that even increase. and what advan-
tage would It be 10 any nation?
Admiral Vreeland: II it continues
10 increase. the poorer nation viii
eventually exhaust itself and then the
other nations, the United States in
Guided. VIII have a free hand mean /
be free TO build in accordance with l
the changed conditions.
Mr.. Gray; Then II is only a ques- /.
tion OF the limit of taxation?
Admiral Nreeland; Yes, sir
In other words. the only thing that .
the international war trust has 10 fear 4
on the score OF reduction of profits is f.
the limit OF the ability Of men. women |
and children TO keep on paying the
ever and ever increasing per capita
tax in the form of high
er prices for foodstuffs and wearing
apparel This is certainly a bright
prospect for the Armor, Powder, Bat
sr.-f.s-. s-,--,rve4fr,r- p,r- {
FOR the taxpayers the prospects are
not so bright
II the taxpayers of the world want
10 escape being forced 10 pay higher
and higher taxes until they get so high
they simply can net pay them. there
Is but one thing to do. and that is for
he people of all the nations to insisJ
hat their governments manufacture ,
heir own munitions of war.
II the millionaire and multimiIlion-
lire war-trust magnates can not make
luge profits in supplying the armor,
,uns. powder and battleships, they viii
axes the same attitude toward the
wasting OF public funds that the rest
II us do United States Senator
ieorge T. Oliver Of Pennsylvania. tes-
flied before the senate lobby investi-
.ation committee that he owned LOCO ,
hares OF stock In the United States
steel corporation and held a "consid- ,
rable" interest in copper mining. He ,
estided he also owned ZOO shares in ,
he Pittsburgh Coal company and two
.ewspapers-the Pittsburgh Gazette
Times and the Pittsburgh Chronicle
Telegraph. Increased armament re-
.uires great quantities Of both copper
md coal.
The United States Steel corporation
g the owner OF the Carnegie Steel com
any. which concern has obtained
80 O00. 900 worth of contracts from
he navy department for armor alone,
nd other millions of dollars worth
Z contracts for other materials used
n the increasing OF the army and
avy. I
on Feb. .. 1915. one OF Senator Oil =
er's newspapers editorially asked: J
But what Is meant by that resound-
az mouthful disarmament by the
-nlted States? Isn't IL the fact that
he United States is pretty well dis =
rmed as matters stand?
here isn't much sense in talking OF =
be United States dlsarming before it :
; armed" c