Omaha daily bee., 1915-11-18

Time for Sober Thought and Common Sense.
N there was ever a time in this country call
ing for sober thought and common sense Il is
right now when the craving for popularity puts
premium upon catch-word slogans. Take the
private profits out OF preparedness" is an airy
phrase. but what does It really propose, and
What does Il really mean? II IL means the elm
nation OF the money-getting motive for stirring
~ strife between nations and driving peoples
into war, everyone will be for II, except the few
eet-rlch-quick lunatlcs, whose cupidty would
coin the ravages OF the battlefield into shining
gold II. however It means that the govern
inent should make all its own war supplies and
munitions called for by a preparedness program,
merely in order TO put private manufacturers
ont OF business, there are several other features
4, be considered.
II the government goes into munitions man
ufacturing on its own account, should Il build
It's own plants or buy up those now in existence?
he owners OF these factories would doubtless
be very glad TO sell to Uncle Sam on completion
~ their present profitable contracts with the
European contestants. and doubtless at prices
lower than the government could duplicate them
for. But is the plan to take private profits out
of preparedness iust scheme to help the pres
ent munitions makers unload lot OF junk upon
the government? II so. we do not believe Il
win be quite so popular may at first appear.
Another thing that must be borne in mind
is this Our traditional policy in the United
states has been in times OF emergency to buy
arms and munitions wherever we could get
them. The advocates OF taking private profits
cut OF preparedness would OF course, have to
urge the same policy for adoption also by other
countries. That would mean that each country
would have to make and store up for itself in
advance all the supplies II might have need Of
to engage In WARRIOR plainly our government
could not sell TO a bellgerent and maintain a
position OF neutrality, and no government OF any
neutral country could furnish arms or munitions
TO us in time OF war without taking up our fight,
and, in fact. becoming a military ally for the
time being.
What the proposition must In the end slft
down to, then, is this, to which there can be no
terious dissent: That the pecuniary motive for
Initiating the preparedness program or for en-
tioiling the country in war, must be reduced to
the very minimum by every reasonable precau-
ton. II will be well for the government to do
for itself, and for whatever II must buy from
private concerns II should certainly pay no
greater price than the cost IL manufactured for
itself. But neither should the government be
rut in position where II cannot supplement its
own production by outside purchases when re-
CURED. SO long as the traffic in arms is legiti-
nate commerce sanctioned by international law
the. profits on the sales by American manufac-
tdrers TO foreign governments need not concern
us any more than would foreign government
he concerned with private profits on sales to the
United States II we should buy abroad. In a
word, our preparedness program should be laid
not so much with reference to the present Eu-
ropean war as TO what the best provision OF the
future admonishes necessary and wise.