Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1936-03-19

peace. We must see from experience
that we cannot be in other peoples
wars commercially without ultimately
being in those wars politically and ac-
lively when our commercial advantage
is menaced.
"A tremendous influence on behalf
Of war is the profit to makers of ma
tionaF defense and national offense
machinery and supplies. Facts, now OF
official record clearly reveal that to
gain this profit men actually go forth,
resorting to bribery, appealing to
prejudices and using despisable prac-
tees with the result that the fears,
hates and suspicious of neighbor ma
tons are aroused to a pitch that will
demand larger and larger preparation
for war.
'Undeniable is the record revealing
how makers of wal supplies arm ma
ions against each other with the same
instruments of warfare, and how the
makers of munitions in our own land
are helping to arm the very nations
against whom the same makers are
warning us to be better prepared.
Another War?
81 have already mentioned the
thought that perhaps the quickest re-
covery from the depression "a depres-
sion which the last war gave us)
would be through another little war.
Thoughtless expressions such as that
should let us see that prospect of prof
it, or prosperity from war so distorts
our judgment that it is imperative that
there be removed from every mind in
our great country any thought that
anybody can make money out of an
other war.
THUS do | enumerate briefly what
many understand to be emphatic caus-
es leading to war. Surely, / quite
agree, we cannot eliminate all these
causes. But why not eliminate such a,
we can, if we but will? How?
by developing a knowledge Of
truth such as will create as lively a
public interest in the cause Of prepar-
ing for peace as there is in the causes
Of preparing for war; by developing
such a public interest as the facts, if
known, will create, and cause a con-
slant searchlight to be turned upon al
legged effort to accomplish understand
ing between nations and a reduction in
so-called national defense burdens.
How eliminate the causes of war;
by cleaning our own yards and ou1
own hands as a nation instead of con-
filming ourselves to criticism of other
nations as the sole threats to peace; by
hating and confiding our own prepar-
ations for war to a defense of such adj
equacy as will insure ability to repulse
a foe so foolish as to try to attack us;
by assuring other nations through our
strict plans for defensive warfare, only
hat those other nations need not
count necessary any offensive warfare
or attack from us. Does one need an
unusual imagination to realize what
the result in this world would be if
nations actually confined themselves
only to preparation for defense as
against attack?
do you ask: How can we lessen
the danger of our nation being drawn
into another foreign war in which we
had no interest at its inception
"By enactment of a stern and man.
datory policy of neutrality-a policy
that forbids sale of munitions to ma
tons at war, that limits commerce
with nations at war to a normal CON-
merce in all commodities other than
those defined as munitions and nipple
ments at wal to take their own risk
and use their own flag in trying to ac-
complish delivery of their purchases
from us through dangerous and war
infested waters where there is no rec
ignition of such a thing as internal
tional law or rights of a neutral; a poll
icy which forbids American loans and
to nations at war; a policy
at once curbs the creation Of an
appetite for greater prosperity through
supplying the sinews of war needed to
keep blood flowing.
How, you ask; how can we elimin-
ate causes of war?
by destroying the chance for man
10 make rich livings or store up wealth
the creation of enlarged de-
.ands for preparedness for war; by
destroying or curbing the private bus
of munitions making and selling.
This might be done by close govern
mental regulation of the private NUM-
ions industry and its profits; it would,
believe, be more adequately done by
nationalizing some few Of those indus
.ries, such as that of shipbuilding, gun
making, powder and gas making, and
the government itself into the
business of supplying its own national
defense requirements.
Continued Next Week.