Grand Forks herald., 1917-03-16

class, because. II not already manu-
factured for the use Of armies, they
are essential as the basis Of munitions
manufacture.
But under existing circumstances,
and on tho scale on which the pres
ent war is being waged. no matter
what distinctions the Dictionary may
make, there can be no such thing.
when one comes down to real sssep-
tials. a. the classification Of one set
Of commodities into, war material and
another into something else.
This 10 a war, not between armies.
but between nations. Each nation 10
putting forth its whole strength for
the accomplishment Of its fixed pur-
pose. whether that purpose bs de-
Tense or aggression. Tho soldier in
the trenches. the mechanic in the
shops, the farmer in his field. the
railway engineer in his cab, the bank
er and' the merchant, are all ensas-
ed for the time being in the occupa-
ton of waging war. Each IL made
to contribute to the very limit Of his
ability to the success Of the enter
prise in which this nation 10 sngag-
ed. Hence whatever goes to minister
to the needs Of the people m any
manner becomes warlike material.
whether We give 1t the technical name
''munitions' or call 1t by some other.
If it IL wrong to send cannon to
one of tho belligerents. 1t is equally
wrong to send it wheat, for the can
non will be useless II the soldier
starves. And we cannot make dis
tinction between what is intended for
the army and what is intended for
the civil population. Each country
constitutes q vast reservoir Of sup
plies, and these supplies are all under
the control of the government. The
consumption is so adjusted as to keep
the armies supplied at all times. If
there is not enough Of commodity
to go around, the civilians get less
in order that the army may have
what it needs to mako 1t effective.
Cotton is needed for tho production
of explosives. and for the manufac-
ture of clothing for the men at the
front. Every pound Of cotton that
goes to Germany means that much
more cotton for the use of tho army.
although that particular cotton may
be used to clothe an infant. It makes
no difference whether Q shipment Of
horses for England 10 intended for the
armies in France or for the cultiva-
ton of the fields of Kept. The effect
is the same. The country is being
strengthened In its military struggle.
Therefore 1t is idle to undertake
to make distinctions among commo-
dhies. II. at the beginning Of the
war, an embargo on arms ought to
have been declared, that embargo
ought to have covered everything.
arms, and tho metal from which they
may be manufactured. wheat that is
used for the food Of nation and cot
ton for its clothing and its explo-
sives; food products Of all kinds;
machinery of every character: in
short. everything of which nation
has need. If any Of the arguments
which have been made justify an en-
barge on arms shipments. they justi-
fy the demand equally Of our abso-
lutte cutting off Of all communication
with every one Of the nations at war.
1t is easy to see what this would
mean. 1t would mean the paraiyza-
ton of our own industries of every
kind. If that was a duty. we ought
to have performed 1t, regardless Of
consequences to ourselves. Our fac
tories would have been idle, our farm
products would have gone begging
for market. But that would have
been our duty. Just the same. The
maintenance Of our commerce is justi-
fable on other grounds than that we
needed the money. On that ground
alone there is no justification for It.