The Llano colonist. [volume] (Llano, Calif.) 191?-1937, 1922-08-19
WAR CAN BE ELIMINATED

| German collapse would hit American
Business says Roger w. Babson of
Wellesley Hills. Mass, who makes the
claim he is trying to untangle the inter
national and financial situation. In
1915 Babson tried to organize society
to eliminate the economic causes of
WAR. According to him every act, word
or thot has an equal reaction; race and
class conflicts are natural reactions
from unjust conditions; while peace
and prosperity would be natural reac-
tons from changed conditions. The
causes of war in modern times are lar
gely matters of commerce and trade,
and he believes that the naturalization
of trade routes and the prevention OF
additional legislation by any one coun-
try against the people or trade OF any
other country, excepting by consent OF
representative International commits
sion, supported by International force,
presents such method.
AT the annual meeting of this society
at Boston in January 1917, the then
president of that society, MIR. Isaac
ISprague, spoke as follows:
you may ask. what are the econom-
ic causes of war and how can they be
eIiminated2 This seems at first like a
hard question full of trouble, some
complications, but think that may be
able to simplify it. Practically all &C.
onomic relationships, whether between
individuals, classes or nations, are bas-
ed upon one or the other Of two con-
ceptions fundamental and antagonistic.
1.-The first of these, widespread
and potent one, is that in many
economic transactions, such as the pur-
chase and sale of everyday business;
the passage of laws affecting the rights
and privileges of classes; the foreign
policies of great nations;-lt is only
natural and customary to employ de-
ccit, fraud. force; to seek profit ar
another's loss; to take an advantage
at a competitors disadvantage; to ae-
quire territories, trade aid slaves by
CONQUEST: in word, to hold ones own
interest as paramount and to disregard
the interests of others. his concep-
ton Of economic relationship lies at the
root Of many social troubles and is an
especially potent cause OF war. Inter
national acts based on this economic
conception are the economic causes OF
war.
The other conception is directly the
opposite. It is, in brief, that no econ
omic transaction is a right and proper
one unless it is advantageous to both
parties. The buyer should profit by his
purchase and the seller BY his sale. Cap
ital and labor should each be the gamer
Iby the right kind of an agreement, en-
tered in upon in the right spirit. Inter-
national agreements, treatise etc.
should positively benefit and be accept
able to both nations.
You may say that this conception IS
Utopian, impractical. Let me point out
| that II is the almost universal rule IN
cur minor, everyday transactions.Eyery
one in this room is careful that in all
Of his transactions the other mans IN
terest is guarded as well as his own. and
weet the same spirit almose unfail-
ingly in others. Why should not the
custom be extended to include the
great as well as the smaIIp The bene-
fits derived by individuals from gener-
al prosperity and good feeling are on
the whole and in the long run greater
than they would secure by tricky. self