The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1921-11-11
WHAT HAS GREATER
BIG ARMAMRNTSi
by Sidney L. GulIck, Secretary, Com.
mission on International Justice
and Goodwill Federal Council
Council OF Churches.

The modern causes dlrest and In
direct are many and intricate, though
they have also been quite natural. VIZ
must 20 into them thoroughly II We
are to understand them. Among then
are some of the things that have
meant most In the advancement Of
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. steam and elec'
trio power, control OF disease, and
transportation. The creation Of wealth
and massing of capital have played q
part. Secret diplomacy, suspicion and
fear have also done their part.
To establish eventually a warless
world, with mutual reduction OF
armament as the first step, we must
face the facts and all the facts. II Is
not enough to say to the nations -
l"Be good" We must find out what it
Is to be good in this modern world and
we must establish suitable internal
tional agencies so that we can be good
We must do much hard-headed, cool
hearted, clear-minded and creative
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
ped her bloated budgets for arma-
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-
spective ornaments. Germany is hard
at work producing, the sure and only
road to 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 pro-
grams
The principal direct and indirect
causes of big ornaments, and also of
the recent world war, are the follow
ing:
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 abso-
lutely independent sovereign govern
ments, each responsible only to 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 be, dependent for food and raw
material
Fourth, suspicion and fear of neigh
bors have lead each government to
build up its own defensive system.
This practice antedates, indeed, hui
man history. But it has reached mod
ern proportions because the discov-
cries o fscience have been effectively
utilized.
Fifth. the massing and mobilizing
for war of the entire power of each
nation has become possible by popu-
lar education, growing nationalsm,
increasing political Capitalization, and
growing INTERPOLATION and co-opera-
ton of commerce, industry and pal
itics.
Sixth, acts Of one people or govern
ment with no thought or intention off
ill-will, have often brought harm to
nelghboring nations, arousing feelings
and acts of retaliation growing into
settled and mutual hostility.
Seventh, the modern system of fin
ance has enabled governments through
loans and credits not only to utilize
to the full, existing wealth, but to
discount and mortgage their futures
and thus to create big ornaments
otherwise impossible.
Eigth, the modern system of trea-
ties, open and secret, have produced
groups of powers committed to as
sist each other under certain contin-
gencies, thus increasing fears and sus-
picions and making swollen war bud
gets inevitable in every land.
Ninth, vast private manufacturing
enterprises, producing munitions and
other materials needed by armies and
nayies have deliberately cultivated in
ternational suspicious and fears for
purposes of private gains.
Tenth, a materialistic, unchristian |
philosophy, justifying the right of |
strong peoples to take and to domin-
ate the earth, has stimulated selfish |
nationalistic ambitions and rivalries. !
The doctrines that mere might gives
right that moral laws do not bind ma
tons; that the weak must go to the |
wall; that victors may ignore the
needs of the vanquished and may ex-
plot them and their resources these
inhuman doctrines Of materialism
have led to vast national crimes. and |
to deep-seated hatreds and plans for |
revenge.