Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1921-11-07

/ WASHINGTON. Nov. Z. = Why do
nations go TO war when the people
of every land and age hate war. and
why do people stagger under the bur
dens of armament when they do not
want them?
The modern causes direct and in
direct are many and intricate. though
they have also been quite natural. We
must go into them thoroughly if we
are to understand them. Among them
are some OF the things that have meant
most i'm the advancement of civiliza-
tion--science. steam and electric
power. control of disease. and trans
portation. The creation of wealth and
massing of capital have played part.
Secret diplomacy, suspicion and fear
have also done their part.
{ To establish eventually a warless
world, with a mutual reduction Of
armament as the first step. we must
face the facts and all the facts. II
is not enough 10 say TO the nations
BE good" We must find out what
II is TO be good in this modern world
and we must establish suitable inter
national agencies so that we can be
good. We must do much hard-headed.
cool-hearted. clear-minded and crea-
tive thinking.
In connection with this question of
armament one may well ask. will
Germany win the war after all?" Be-
ing compelled to disarm, she has stop
ments. Her yearly payments for rep
arations are less than what either
France. England or America elected
to spend the past year on their re-
specfive ornaments. Germany is hard
at work producing, the sure and only
road 10 recovery and prosperity. Eng
land. France and America are still
tagging in production and at the same
time are wasting enormous sums
maintaining their armament programs.
The principal direct and indirect
causes of big ornaments. and also
of the recent world war. are the fol-
lowing:
First. science. steam and electric
, power and standardized production by
machinery, have given the advanced
nations extraordinary powers of eX-
pansion and aggression.
Second, creation of wealth and
massing of capital, control of disease
and increase of population, with de-
mand for more food and for abundant
raw material, have caused the pro-
gressive nations to reach out long
arms into all the world.
Third. the existence OF many ahso-
lutely independent sovereign govern
ments. each responsible only 10 its
! own people for their welfare has led
to conscious and scheming rivalry and
the adoption by several governments
of the policy of economic Imperialism
| BY diplomacy, intimidation and in
trigue they have sought for expansion
of commerce and for the political con-
troll of those backward geographical
| areas on which they were. or expected
to lie, dependent for food and raw
, material.
Fourth. suspicion and fear of neigh
! bors have led each government 10
build up its own defensive system
I. This practice antcdates, indeed, human
history. But it has reached modern
proportions because the discoveries OF
science have been effectively utilized
Fifth. the massing and MODELLING
for war of the entire power of each
nation has become possible by popular
education. growing nationalism, in
creasing political Capitalization. an;
growing INTERPOLATION and cooperation
of commerce. industry and politics.
Sixth, acts of one people or Govern
ment with no thought or intention o
ill-will, have often brought harm K
neighboring nations. arousing feelings
and acts of retaliation growing int
settled mutual hospitality.
Seventh. the modern system o
finance has enabled Government
through loans and credits not only t.
utilize to the full. existing wealth. blu
to discount and mortgage their future
and thus to create big armament
otherwise impossible.
Eighth. the modern system of treat
les, open and secret. have produce
groups of powers" committed to as
sist each other under certain contin
gencies. thus increasing fears and sus
picionS and making swollen wa
budgets inevitable in every land.
Ninth. vast private manufacturing
enterprises. producing munitions an
other materials needed by armies an
nayies have deliberately cultivated in
ternational suspicious and fears TO
, purposes of private gains.