The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-01-09
Munitions
Makers Can
Be Quelled
Women, as Chief Buyers
of Goods, Possess
Strong Weapon.
BY ESTELLE VI. sTERNBERGER
Executive Director, World PeaceVays..

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BY ESTELLE VI. STERNBERGEH
Executive Director, World Peacevays..
MILLIONS Of mothers through
w out the United States were
electrified by Father Coughlin's fiery
denunciation Of the du Points. nc
lifted a load from their hearts when
he made them realize that the du
Points we're vulnerable and that
their empire, built on the profits
from the CHASTITY World War, could
be brought low.
The du Points have spread around
more ammunition than Father
Coughlin. even If he were reinforced
by an army OF orators, could pos
siblv handle-the sort of ammuni-
ton that the du Points never IN
tended for export or domestic dis
tribution. II was du POnt BY
product.
That is where the rub comes. Toe
MANY Of the things that the du
Points have perpetrated are by
products. The vision Of their oil
recting eeniuses has been altogether
one-sided-on the side Of expansion
and profits.
The high-salaried directors have
lost sight of the people. Millions OF
mothers. and not the army con-
tractors. have helped the du Points
multiply their millions. The ou
Points have overlooked these moth
ers in the years since 1918. What
they have considered unimportant
has turned out to be more vital to
the defense of our democracy than
all the munitions secrets they have
been developing or ascertalnlng IN
their international munitions trade.
those in war periods and that their
ueacetme profits are greater than
those in war Periods and that their
munitions business proper makes up
less than , per cent of their income
TODAY. They claim that their prof.
its in recent years, in peacetime &C
Invites. have averaged above those
OF the war years.
War Profits Laid Foundation
From 1915 to 1918 practically all
of their enormous annual total was
made ND Of munitiOns-before their
present industries were built up.
Tremendous war profits. in spite Of
excess profits taxation, laid the
foundation for the present non-mil-
itary industries of the du Points.
The du Points know only too well
that the goose that laid the golden
eggs can do the trick again.
The present humility of the du
Points dates from the passage of the
-Vandenberg resolution by the
United States Senate for the inves-
tigation of the arms traffic. The
war ended in 1918. but in 1926,
eight years later, the du Points had
statesmen in Europe trying to gain
contracts for their products, from
Turkey and other governments.
Whatever the reasons of the du
Points we're, millions Of mothers
knew that they would some day
have to pay a price for the Gu Pont
success-their sons would be blown
of this earth by du Pont munitions
in the hands of enemy gunners.
VIII the du Points tell the mothers
of the United States what they pur-
pose to do with the huge profits
they might earn out of sales during
a possible Russo-Japanese war or a
French. Italian, German and Eng
fish scramble over opportunities in
Africa2 One more huge war and
the du Points will become an un-
comfortable financial power in the
life OF our democracy by the grace
of foreign governments war follieS.
Claws Must Be Clipped
The du Points and others of their
sort must have their claws clipped.
There is too much noise about
Curbing the profits of these home
guard" induStrialistS in a war in
volving the United States. Every
one fails to hear the warning cry Of
the one who asks
What about the du Points profits
in wars that find us neutral?"
Are those profits any less danger
Gus to the democratic development
of a country that seeks to proclaim
liberty throughout the land, unto
all the inhabitants thereof" Do
the du Points have that type of lib
ertv in mind when they subscribe
TO the support of the American Lib
erty Lacquer
What I have expressed about the
du Points applies with equal justice
to all munitions manufacturers The
public should not be permitted to
lose sight of the fact that there are
other individuals and families that
are making millions out of the mu-
nitions business.
The du Points are showing some
signs of yielding to the supreme
Will Of the public. But the mothers
Of America and of the world must
not be led aStray from duty by one
penitent. They must keep up their
attack until every munitions manu-
facturer shows not only the same
penitent tendency. but also signs
of a complete surrender of their
dangerous business.