Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-05-06
An Interesting New Book is "Why
War;"

AN IHlClUsuns Nov DVVh Is WI!
War;"
(By George p West of the committee
on Industrial Relations)
Why the workers and producers OF
America-all who are fighting to make
it a real democracy-should oppose
war and resist appeal to the patriot
ism" that means privilege, is told in
clear and convincing fashion in the
sensational new book by Frederick C.
Howe, Why War;"
Here, in chapter after chapter, is
the whole story, told for the first time
in America, of how big business
manipulates the patriotic impulses OF
the people and uses government to
back its schemes of exploitation with
the treasure and blood of the nation
Everybody's Magazine has attacked
the committee on industrial relations
for warning the public against the
conspiracy of the Rockefeller Morgan
group to use the nations surplus
wealth." now heaped up in New York
banks, for a campaign of financial
imperialism in weak foreign countries
where labor is cheap and rich natural
resources may be plundered almost
at will.
The committee had pointed out that
the men who organized the American
International Corporation are the
same men who have been preaching
cheap labor costs at home, attacking
President Wilson for his refusal to
conquer Mexico in their interest, and
urging with all their might a great
army and navy and an aggressive for
eign policy.
In DR.. Howe's new book the editors
Of Everybody's and all the shouters
in behalf of financial Imperialism will
find page after page of evidence show
ing the danger that threatens democ-
racy in America from the conspiracy
now masquerading as a program to
increase foreign trade.
By relating some of the recent his
tory of Europe, DR.. Howe shows that
the use Of governmental authority to
promote private schemes of spolia-
ton, as Wall street would like to have
It used in Mexico, is the prime cause
Of large percentage of the interna-
tional troubles of the world.
The Vanderlip pretense that it is
nj 10 q
in weak and undeveloped countries,
in order to build up foreign trade, is
exposed.
THE real trade of the world" DR..
Howe points out, sis among the civ
ilized peoples: it is between the great
powers. The real markets for foreign
trade are with the great powers rather
than with the colonies and dependent
peoples"
DR.. Howe quotes from the American
International Corporations announce
ment that its purpose is to enable the
United States to take larger par,
than heretofore in the industrial de-
velopment of other countries where
capital is needed.
Such countries are certainly not
Great Britain, France and Germany
the great investing nations of Eur
ope,' adds the author. THE coun-
tries where capital is needed are the
weak and helpless peoples Of Mexico
Central America, and South America
Of Morocco, Tunis, Persia, Africa
China, and the insular possessions OF
the United States.
Wealth is accommodating SO the
announcement reads. so rapidly that
a portion of it can be spared for in
vestment abroad"
And DR.. Howe shows how this sur
plus wealth" has lured Great Britain
into Egypt and the Transvaal, France
into Morocco, Germany into Turkey
aided in strangling Persia, drained
| France of capital needed for internal
development, negotiated the six-power
loan to China And how President
Wilson saved us from dollar diploma
cy" by refusing to sanction our taking
part in the scheme to control the in
ternal administration and revenue
system of China.
Dollar diplomacy, navalism and
the exploitation of weaker peoples, =
he adds, have gone hand in hand
during the last 20 years. The darkes,
pages of this story will never be writ
ten, for the records lie buried in the
graves of weak and defenseless peo-
pies in every part of Africa, in Asia
in Turkey, Persia, Asia Minor and the
Balkans; it is a story that would have