The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1921-11-12
st. JOhnsbury Observes
Armistice Day
Continued from Page q

rover results in greater love be-
tween nations and peoples. War
always engenders fiercer antipa-
thies and bitterer ennities and
deadlier jealousies. The Persian
Wars made Persia more hateful of
the Greek states and left Sparta
more jealous of Athens. The Punic
Wars increased the arimosity be-
tween Carthage and Rome. The
War of 1870 left Germany and
France bittereE enemies. The
Revolutionary War created a
deeepr antipathy between daugh-
ter and mother the American colo
ries and Great Britain an anti
pathy which has been reflected
and perhaps even fostered in much
of our history textbook teaching
ever since. The Civil War re-
suited in an accentuated bitterness
between South and North, a Bit
terness which has not even yet en-
tirely disappeared. The World
War has left Europe a writing
mass of hot hate. War never
creates an atmosphere of mutual
trust and kindly good will. War
always fans the flame of hate and
suspicion.
Thinking men and women are
saying: In view of the fact thar
we are endeavoring to develop a
spirit of neighborliness between
the nations why do we continue
foolishly to prepare for the very
thing which makes feeling Of
good will impossible but which
actually creates a feeling of III
WI?
8 The third great fact which
stares men in the face is this: War
and preparedness for war are
bankrupting the nations. The
money cost of war is too great for
any nation much longer to be able
to endure. The cost is appalling.
All wars 1793-1910, 1T years,
$23, 900, 100000.
World War 1914-1918, A years,
$186, 000,000,000.
Property Losses, 1914-1918,
$169, 000,000,000.
Four years of the World War
cost more than times as much,
just for fighting and maintaining
armies and navies as 1T years of
wars previous to the World War.
Four years of the World War;
cost more than 40 times the total
expenditures of the United States
government for the fiscal year
1919-1920. The United States
could have run for tent
government could have run for 10 |
years for what it cost for one year
of the World War. Thinking
people are saying: Such expense
is absolutely wrong.
When we turn from the total ex-
pense of the World War for all
the nations to the expense of
war right here in the United |
States, we are equally amazed at I
the facts which confront US. In |
1909-1910 the United States appro-
priated $279,00O,00O for Military |
Preparedness. The estimates al |
ready submitted for 1921-1922
amount to S1,379, 100000 for mill |
tary preparedness more than 10l
times as much as appropriated IL
years ago. In 1919-1920 the United |
States spent $59,000,000 for re-
search, education, public health,
and development. In the same !
years the United States spent
1880, 100000 for pensions, inter
est and other expenses arising |
from the World War, exclusive of |
loans to foreign governments and |
it spent S1,348,000,000 additional |
on the Army and the Navy, pre-
pairing for future wars. In other
words our own Government is
spending approximately so times
as much in obligations which |
arose from the war as it is spend
ing for the development and the
improvement of our own country
and its residents. And it is spend
ing more than 25 times as much |
in preparing for future wars as it
is spending for research, educa-
ton, public health and develop
ment. AS a matter of fact, the
United States Government is
spending 80 cents of every dollar
of revenue in paying for past wars
and in preparing for future wars.
Only 20 cents of every dollar of
federal revenue is spent for main
tanning our Government, building |
public works, research, education,
public health and development.
If it costs me 80 cents of every !
dollar | earn to pay for fights
which | had had and to get ready
for other fights which l thought
might arise, and if had only 20
cents of every dollar / earn for
rent and food and clothinp and
family life and education and
reading and charity and recrea-
ton, | doubt whether would con-
slider life really worth living.
But that is the predicament in
which the United States Govern
ment finds itself. That is
the predicament in which
That is the predicament in which
other nations find themselves.
War and preparation for war are
bankrupting the nations and are
making national life a burden
rather than a blessing.
Therefore, thinking men and
women are saying: Why keep up
this farce any longer? Why not let
us come and reason together and
admit that we all have been in
sane and agree hereafter to use
our minds?@
a. The fourth great fact which
stares men in the face is this: War
i