Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-07-28
Big Business for w ar
From the New YORK word

In spite Of the fact that the one great
Dl,rposc Of the League OF Nations IS 10
prcvent war, all Republican factions are
nov shouting IN unison the untrath
that il is certain 10 result II aggression
and strife When falschood Is apphcd
~ matters Of such moment as this the
neonle are entitled in common fairness TO
ask for reason.
There IS hardly leader of the Repubh-
ran marty. aside from the Hiram Johnsons,
Ia Follcttes and Rorals, who has not
AT one time or another Endorsed the
principle of the league. Most OF the
great churches, the faculties ard students
OF the principal universities the American
Federation of Labor, many literary
scientific and educational societies, several
organizations of farmers and soi"e oi
the leading non-political commercial bodies
of the country have approved the league
by resolution or petitiOned the Senate IN
its favor. Outside of few racial groups
and the politicians who cultivate them
the support of the proposition has been
all but unanimous.
We are not to forget, however, that the
Republican party is the party, OF big
/ business A powerful element IN business
| has been in partnership with the standpat
| Republican management Tor more than a
generation. From that source the party
| campaign chest has feen hlled- In
| return for the millions thus contributed
| Republican Congresses and Presidents
! have dutifully registered in their financial,
| tariff and subsidy laws the will OF the
| interests that have sought to make money
| the controlling power IN government
| If that portion of big business which Is
| knee-deep in corrupt politics were CON
vlnced that the League OF Nations meant
war and a continuation OF present condi-
| tons the covenant would have no more
| enthusiastic advocate 1t would have
forced the ratification OF the treaty long
ago. Every prohteer in America Is
infatuated with war. Extravagances, in
| fiation, uncertainty, disorder, increase his
gambling gains. To him the armisticC
was a calamity. In the delay of peace
! and in the prospect OF new wars, which
the League Of Nations, properly function
ing would forestall, the prohteer ha'
reaped a rich harvest already and see;
greater abundance in the future.
This is why the Old Guard Republican
leaders. rallying to their side all who cal
be influenced by the meanest partisan
ship. and subordinating patriotism an'
humanity to the one idea Of regaininl
control of affairs at Washington, hav
refused to share responsibility in the peace
and by abandoning our associates II
war have placed an everlasting stign
upon American honor Furthermore
this is why the Republican party
stodgy candidate for the Presidency face
both ways on the most important ques
ton before mankind, and by misrepre
senting the attitude of his own govern
ment and the governments Of nearly a
other civilized nations plays into tn
hands Of the professional war-maker
and their UNDERSTANDS, the professions
profiteers.
Let nobody mistake the reason for tn
attitude of this section of big business
1t is opposed to a guaranteed peace
prefers war, commercial and military
1t knows that the League OF Nations
not going to involve ussin strife. Whf
it fears is that the League OF Natlor
will promote not only peace but politics
and economic justice, which would |
, fatal to vast expenditures for armamer
and sure death to cutthroat tariffs an
other trade determinations. The Unite
] States will never know a real peace WIN
this spirit is dominant IN Its polite