The St. Joseph observer., 1921-11-05
WE JUST CANNOT AFFORD TT

The truth is that war must go be-
cause we can't afford It.
We can't afford 1t physically, in
spite OF the amusing little pieces that
are written by apologists for war,
telling us how It improves the health
of a nation. Sctting-up exercises and
hygienic instruction are their major
and minor premises, the wedding out
Of the unfit their conclusion. 1t is
hardly necessary to start a war to
give youth the blessing OF setting-up
exercises. They might be taught in
the schools. We might even have
compulsory settlng-up exercises for
males under 40 and compulsory golf
for all over that age. But perfect
physical condition and faultless hy-
gienic habits are hardly worth while
II, as soon as man has acquired
them. he is sent into a filthy trench
to be killed by germ or a bullet. 1t
Is hard to take much interest in the
with lice, hard to care much about
adding an inch to ones stature when
all It will gain for one is longer
coffin.
As for the argument that war
strengthens nation and weeds out
the unfit. one needs only a brief
glance at Europe to find the answer.
The strong young men have been
killed; the weak old men survive.
That Is the war. The children in
whole nations are undernourlshcd; in
others, young and old alike are dying
Of starvation. OF typhus and of chol-
era. That Is the aftermath OF war.
We can't afford It spiritually. The
apologlsts for this fine old fashion of
death and destruction tell us that It
is-good for the soul. Yet never were
the pavements of the world so throng-
cd with poor. pltifuI street walkers
women who have lost their husbands,
their sons, their all; never was con-
tempt for law 50 rampant; never were
lawbreakers SO brazen; never was
morality so lightly regarded; never
has religion had so slight a hold on
the people. And why not? When
men disregard the teachings OF relig-
ion, when they license destruction
and the taking Of life I'm the sacred
name Of war, When they throw sense
ana reason in the discard and decree
force as the arhIter and death as the
portion Of the vorld--just why should
they expect in the sequence a sweet,
camp-mecting spirit of holiness TO
possess mankind?
We can't afford 1t economically
We can't afford to have tho mark at
cent, the Ira at four, the franc at
seven, and the pound sterling at three
seventy. There can be no comeback
in world trade while that condition
lasts, and It viii continue as long as
France keeps 100000 men in the
field and Great Britain. Japan and
the United States maintain their great
navies. We cant afford to rob Amer
lean business Of billions every year to
be sunk and shot up and wasted in
wars and their aftermath. Even less
can other nations afford their gigantic
tax bills for armaments. We can't
afford these $l5,OOO.OOO battleships
that are built out Of the pennies of
the poor; these s3,O0O.O0O dirlgibles
armies OF unproductive men, endless
ly consuming and wasting, that must
be carried on the bent backs Of the
producers. We can't afford any or
all OF It. and least Of all can we afford
/ tho prOpagandists OF hate; the fat
headed politicians who build up arti-
ficial economic barriers between the
nations the pompous rulers who
scheme for personal power and ag-
grandizement, no matter what the
cost to the world.
We cant afford TO have these
hordes Of the unemployed; to have
our farmers work from sunup to sun
down for a bare subsistence; to have
our manufacturers shutting down and
going bankrupt. But we cannot cure
these conditions until the world stops
wasting its stored, as well % its sur.
plus. wealth in wars; until we make
our leaders understand that we will
no longer stand this indefonslble con
flscauon by taxation. this damnabl,
squandering Of our substance and oul
J lives in war
Every nation must be prepared L
sacrifice something, to abate a littl,
Of IT'S demands. for the sake of work
peace, Even partial dlsarmamcn
will prove an impossible task for petit
politicians, but a few men of vlsiol
} and decision can initiate a program
! at this conference that will final!
lead TO peace. The world is going /,
! ! attend the conference and Iaplr M