The Winslow mail., 1926-01-01
Has Peace Arrived?
By G. w. NELSON

ed. Note-The following essay
on Peace was written by Mr.. Nell
son, local railroad man, while ON
his trip to Washington attending
a meeting of the legislative COM
mittee of the railroad brOtherhOOds.
The United States, now at peace, IS
still spending 161a cents out of
every dollar for national defense; !;
1872 cents for pensions; 1412 cents
to retire the public debt, 2212 cents
for interest on the debt, making u
total of about 70 cents of every dol
lar of revenue on past wars and
preparations for possible new ones.
Out of the 80 cents left, part is
spent on different bureaus connect
ed with the army and navy, leaV-
ing about Is cents for all othef
functions of the government.)
With the coming of the new year
this mooted question arises, along
with our fine resolutions an dst1ll
better intentions. How we'll wish
I could answer this question in the
affirmative and know that my word
would be final.
Every right thinking person, sim
cerely hopes that lasting peace is
here to stay but in my opinion it
is only on the threshold, but q
fine gesture has been made.
History does not prove, nor even
indicate that such desirable
! thing is to be. Statesman of the
world have pondered over this
question and have attempted to ar
rive at some satisfactory solution
but at the present moment, they
seem as far away as ever. Nations
like men do not forget. The events
of the past for years prove that all
nations seem guilty of gross dupll-
city. If any one nation is to be ex',
cused from that stigma, 1t is our
own U. S. A, but if she is to be
excused from that she seems guilty
of something else, or at least 1t
was, unpreparedness. ABOUT IL
years ago the world was shaken
by the news that war had been de-
clared in Europe. The muffled
roar of the war drum could be
heard here, our own position could
not clearly be defined, the martial
spirit arose within us, and it was
not long before the youth OF the
land was called to colors to assist
in prosecuting war on foreign
shores, in order that our own Sc
curity be assured and safeguarded.
All this was the result of killing
of Archduke Ferdenand, at Sara
jeva Serbia, by young Serbian
student. Was this the real cause
of the war. l believe not. L do
believe it was the sheerest preteXt
that satisfaction must be had and
| failing to receive this impossible
satisfaction, war was declared.
To go into detail as to what took
place is useless and would serve
no good purpose; but we do know
in spite of assurances, in spite OF
peace pacts, league of nation agree
ments, disarmament conferences,
Hague peace treaty, Locarno. meet
ing and proposed world court, that
there will be future wars and bit
ter ones, and they will be caused
from intrigues, mistrusts, dissatls-
factions, duplicity, shams, and loss
of past wars.
Let US take Germany for an eX-
ample. There was nation OF nome
loving, thrifty people, whose rulers
were imperialistic in every respect.
They believed they could rule the
world, and impose upon the world
a kultur of their own making and
conforming with their own stand
ards. This was the opinion of the
Junkers, but not the common peo-
pie. That these people were mis-
led is no mystery now, but what
of their present position? Are they
satisfied with their allotment?
Here is something that has taken
place. Her money has been rend-
cred worthless. Did they wilfully
debase this, or was it the result
of an economic condition? They
have lost all insular possessions.
They have lost Malmedy, Eupen,
and Morenset, small territories ad-
iacent to them. Danzig has been
made a free port and East Prussia
practically isolated. Alsace Lor-
raine, has been returned to the
French, along with the rich Briey
Iron Basin, containing 20 per cent
of the iron output of Europe. They
were not granted a moratorium.
Their credit is very low. Under
the Schelswig- -Holstein plebicite,
half went to Denmark. The pie
bicite of the Saar Basin is not eff
fective for Is years, but in the
meantime the French have control.
This is supposed to recompense the
French for the wanton destruction
of the Lens coal fields and mines
by the Germans during the war.
The occupation by allies of German
territory did not help matters nor
did the French occupation of the
Rhur create a friendly feeling, al
though the Germans did this to the
French during the Franco-Prussian
war, 1870 and until the debt was
collected.
Can Germany, who has almost
economically been destroyed, feel
friendly towards a nation, it's next
door neighbor, whom it in a large
measure blames for its present pre-
dicament? l can hardly believe
that however sincere the Germans
and French representative seemed
at LOcarnO when they agreed never