Evening star., 1934-06-10

natural course Of events there would
be no export trade In the implements
Of death. Where there were exports,
1t would mean that the United States
Government was deliberately aiding
some other nation to arm. This would
amount to an open announcement that
the Government was making an ally
Of the destination nation. Such
policy would have a tendency to take
a good deal of the secrecy put Of in
ternational dealings. For the United
States, for example, to ship arms to
Belgium or Brazil or Siam would put
the world on notice that some sort Of
an alliance had been contracted be-
tween the parties.
Should the practice be generally
followed, there would be only about a
dozen countries which could arm even
themselves, and this, in itself, would
have a tendency to minimize the
dustrial nations with both the re-
sources and the plants and also with
the mechanical skill would be able
to arm. Such nations, of course, would
include the major powers. Great
Britain, France, Germany, Belgium,
tie United States, Japan, Italy, CZe-
choslovakia, Russia, and a few others
have the ability to arm largely from
their own resources. This would leave
the large number Of other nations,
many of which are decidedly pugna-
cious and belligerent, but which must
rely on purchasing arms from others.
without the tools of the trade OF war.
Precedents In Government Plants.
Some commentators see in such
development the possibility Of an in
teresting economic stimulation. These
other countries would set about pro-
viding themselves with munition
plants. There would be a revival of
heavy industry; in fact. an introduc-
ton of heavy industry in countries
which never carried on such business
before. This would provide employ
ment and prosperity. 1t is quite
possible that each of these nations
would declare munition making a ma
tional monopoly and so the profit in
| centive would be kept out Of the
business, a certain amount Of hypoc-
risy removed and the whole trade
placed on plane OF public defense
rather than aggression for profit.
There could be no legal or consti-
tutional difficulties about making mu-
milton manufacture a national mo-
nopoly. In the United States today,
for example, coming Is a national
monopoly. No one in private busi-
ness is permitted to coin money.
However, the United States Mint
takes contracts to coin money for
other nations. Coins have been struck
for Latin American countries and for
some European countries and for ma
| tions in the Orient. small charge
for handling and overhead expense is
made, but there is no profit incentive.
There might be some diminution Of
employment, but, it is thought, not
much. There would be the constant
necessity of making arms for the
national Army and, under special
| license, sporting arms and ammuni-
tion would be sold to the public.
There would be more effective check
| than ever before on the sale of
lethal weapons TO gangsters. The
great gain. it is claimed, would be
the complete removal of the incen-
tive which munitions statesmen now
have to urge war departments to arm
heavily. buy the latest things in
weapons and, in the very nature of
things, stimulate an itch on the part
of the military to try out their devas-
| tating toys.