The Weston leader. [volume] (Weston, Umatilla County, Or.) 189?-1946, 1920-10-29

Japan also is a small nation In OK
tent OF territory and must draw heavily
upon the outside world for food and
raw materials so that she could not
mako hcadway against us II excluded
| from outside markets as she would bt
In case OF her becoming an aggressor
against us, II We were Ia the league
Governor Cox favors the league
Senator Harding opposes IL.
Aside from the question OF oxpcdl-
cncy. Il Is the fact that militarism IL
wholly repugnant to our own lnstitu'
tons Its policy iss TO multiply its mar
mower and to extend itss boundaries. II
recognizes no law except Its own ne
cessities, Its authority both at home
and abroad rests upon physical forcc
The goal Of its ambition Is dominant,
arbitrary power. In tho persons and
property OF its own subjects u sees
only pawns TO be sacrificed In th'
game OF war. in those OF foreign
nations new subjects and booty to be
won ty war.
Ntllltarism Is the creature OF auto
!crats. Like the slave master In ans
form OF slavery. autocratic rulers are
never content with what they have
but push their authority on and on
as far rs the supply OF blood and iron
under their control permits.
The prophecy OF Lincoln TO the OF
feet that this nation could not exist
half free. half slave. applies with
: great force now as to the question oi
| whether governments are to bc dem
ocratic or autocratic. These two an
tagonistc principles can not both ex.
list in a world with modern means oi
| transit and intercommunication.
The Desire for Conquest.
! II autocracy remains, 1t will retain
its desire for conquest. and having Ia
cilities to strike anywhere IN the worlo
no nation can find security from at
tack except through sufficient physical
force to repel attack. And this means
a world In arms again.
A world In arms can not be world
OF freedom, because all armies are
raised and governed by autocrau'
Methods.
The League OF Nations Is contract
that is democratic In principle ana is
calculated to protect the free and
Therefore peaceful nations against the
aggression Of military powers. Under
It's laws there could never be sup
precision OF free nations.
Unless somehow we manage to place
war In process of abatement the world
lis doomed to expressions and burdens
THAT human nature can not endure.
| IL 10 the existing two hundred billion
dollars of new war debt there is to be
added billions Of future expense an
nuaily for enlarged armies, with the
prospect of future and greater wars
with doubled and trebled and quadrup-
led war debts reputation. confiscatioh'
rebellion and the fall OF ciViiization'
Iurk in the background.
| Coming right down 10 earth In our
own front yard, we find that some 30
nations have gone into the League.
World Friendship Needed
Nothing is more natural than for
those associated I'm friendly relation
ship 10 trade with one another
Unless we go into the league we shall
find ourselves standing alone.
| Just now Mexico. Germany and RUS
sia are outside the League but not
with us. Neither will they stand there
passiyely, They will either go In up
on maturity of their term OF probation
or they will band themselves together
to set up q rival power based upon
military might. But In any event. II
we STAY out the war leaders OF the
Central Powers will continue to hate
us because we frustrated theiE dream
OF World Empire, and the allied and
x.ytn
shirkers and quitters.
In the meantime we are among the
largest exporters in tho worl. We
produce enormous quantities OF grain
and meat and minerals and factory
products for export.
These goods OF ours can not here
after find their way upon terms on
equality into any foreign market that
can be supplied by one member ma
tIon of the league to another member
nation. The result will be that our
domestic products will pile up and
glut the American market, close down
factories, and fill the land. with sonp
Kitchens and discomfort.
when the products OF our farms
and mines and factoreis return to nor
NAL prices, thus cutting down incomes
TO pre-war levels, the present rate OF
taxation Is going to distressing
burden. In our local affairs. reduc-
lions can be made except for payment
Of interest upon our local bonded debts.
But as a nation we can not reduce our
present vast expenditures for the ar
my and navy unless the other great
powers also disarm.
Isolation Means Ruin.
If our isolation from the outside
World should bring prices down be-
ow pre-war levels, as 1t surely would,
hen the taxation that Is fixed upon US
" bonded debt will pinch and blister.
But IL we permit the world again to
,onvert itself into great military camps
nth ourselves standing outside,
riendless and alone, we shall have to
rm as we have never armed before :
nd this new expense added to what
re shall already have will constitute
ak that will sink deeply into the VI q
als OF our resources. !.
History verfies the probability Of the
orrectness of these predictions. ~
There are Psychological moments C