Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1922-01-19
BY EDWARD C. LOwRY
Copyrlght. Western NeNgpaper
VIII.
WHAT PERSHINC THINKS


WHAT PERSHINC THINKS
The appropriations of the five great
powers for military and naval pur-
poses in the year 1920 alone reached
a total of SIG. 4I2 Pal, 10l. sum only
about S2.OOOOO0.OOO more than the
total for the whole fourteen years be-
fore the war.
1t an comes down TO this so far as
YOU are concerned:
- Every morning when you go TO
work, or when you stay at home sick
on II working day. or even il you
are out of job, it has been arranged
for you to pay your fair share out
Of what YOU earn or should earn, of
over $5.OOO,0OO day for the support
of the army and navy That is the
estimate for the fiscal year 1927
over S5.0OO.OOO a day. | have General
pcrshings word for IT, You will have
to pay it. Five million dollars every
working day is q pile of money TO
spend for Insurance against attack.
And of course that is not all the
you think about It? You will have to
pay the bill DO yon think about il
an an? General pershing does. This
is what he thinks:
"As we consider the causes of the
World war and comprehend its hor.
rors. every thinking man and woman
must feel thai measures should be
taken 10 prevent another such cal
amity one step in that direction
would be TO reduce expenditures for
armament. Our own estimates fol
: naval ana military purposes contem-
plate an appropriation for the fiscal
year 1922 of over $JO0O0OO for every
working day In the year II is Il
gloomy prospect that the nations plan
expenditures greater than ever before
in peacctmes.
at would appear that recent eX.
periences should be enough 10 con.
vince everybody OF the danger Of a
renewal of this competition. But one
nation cannot reduce ornaments IN
less all do. il is time that enlightened
people everywhere should undertake
10 reach some rational agreement
which would not only relieve the
world of its heavy financial burden
bur which in itself would 60 far to-.
ward the prevention of war We are
not a wariSe people. We do not
wish TO expand at the expense of any
other nation ana we have no designs
on anybody. If other people feel the
same toward rs and toward each
other it seems unreasonable that thcy
should be unwilling 10 consent IN
principle 10 some limitation OF arma.
mems, 10 he carried out when other
nations succeed i'm establishing stable
i governments and are willing 10 rccOg
nize the wisdom of such a course
otherwise. may we not seriously ask
ourselves whether civilization is a
failure and whether we are 30 regard
war as an unavoidable scourge that
mankind must suffer?
"There are other considerations
which should prompt us TO make every
effort 10 bring shout a curtailment Of
these expenditures throughout the
world. particularly in the war-worn
countries OF Europe. The people of
Europe have always been our hes
customers and are largely dependent
upon us for certain necessities. We
must lool, 10 them TO buy the products
of our farms mines and factories.
The prosperity of our people depends
In no small measure upon the unin
terrupted flow of commodities abroad
We have socks of cotton. wheat and
other products greatly in excess OF
our own requirements. which the
people of Europe sorely need but
which we cannot sell and they can
not buy because their fiscal systems
have broken down, their currencie>
have deprecated. and their purchasing
power is exhausted
"The first step 10 take in the re.
Mobilization of the finances Of all these
countries is to reduce the cost of
government So that expenses win not
exceed the incomes. Expenditures
must be lowered everywhere If
financial stability IS TO be restored and
if the naticas are ever to pay their
debts. Until stability is restored none
can have prosperity that comes from a
free and uninterrupted flow of products
from or country 10 another. Hut this
cannot be done If huge sums continue
10 be appropriated for the mainte-
nance Of large armies and large navles
"The safety of humanity in the
future. indeed the peace the happiness
and the prosperity Of the racial
appeal alike for an early consideration
Of the question of limited ornaments. -
Broadly speaking. 1t Is the man who
profits. and not the simple average
man who endures, who is behind all
this movement for ever increasing
armament If Won doubt this. just 20
out inv your own neighborhood and ask
men who were actually I'm the war
who saw service in the line, whether
They want any more of IL.
Scientific Oucrv