The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1937-10-09
NEWSPAPERS OPINIONS
HAS SHATTERED THE MORALE

The presidents condemnation of rutfian nations
which ne did not call by name, and mis- appeal to
those others not bent on disturbance of the peace
and robbery of their neighbors will have unani-
nous approval of Americans who respect law and
believe in pledge-keeping.
So. when the president says in purport that it
would be nigh to impossible for the United States
TO stay out of general war were one to break
out there is unhappily no ground upon which to
contradict him. He does well to speak this truth
plainly to the Americans.
Another truth one that the president does not
mention is that the United States is in no con-
dition to carry on war. The last five years 1t has
wasted its substance. There has been the equva-
lent of riotouS living. The production of wealth
deliberately has been discouraged. While at peace
with the world the government of the United States
has failed to pay its way. In seven years 1t has
increased its debts about twenty billions of dollars.
1t has repudated its promise to pay debts in gold.
For billions of dollars of this debt it has only
half completed dams to show. government can
not carry on war with half completed dams and
improved metropolitan parks. Houses built with
taxpayers money at cost of $4,000 each are not
helpful in war emergency.
The doctrine is now taught that an American
failing to living for himself is entitled to
governmental relief or an office. Moreover, the
dependents are told that they will have relief
where they
In the last war the soldiers were sent to canton
ments in the country where expenses were kept
down.
In the New Deal peace the armies of dependents
are encouraged to stay in the cities where maxi
mum costs prevail.
At this time more antagOniSmS, diSSenSionS,
greater variety of misunderstanding than ever
before in this republic The quarrel between the
A. +. of L. and the C. l. o. for example, is not
less bitter than the quarrel of any set of strikers
with their employers.
Were war to break out, citizens would not vol
UNFAIRLY buy Liberty" bonds. The conception of
Liberty" of 1917 is gone from the United States.
With going on, faith in the bonds of the
republic is not popular. The credit of the country
is maintained by compulson on banks. Every man
knows that the dollar bill in his hand is not re-
deemable in metal and that its purchasing power
rests on the continuance of a state of mind.
The president does well to warn of the posi-
biity of his country's involvement in war, and we
are sure that he is opposed to war. He might in
his Chicago address have spoken another plain
truth. That truth is that entrance into another
war would mean paralysis of democratic govern
ment, dictatorship, repeal OF the OIL OF rights
confScaton of private property Whether the die
tatorship were proletarian fascist it would be
attended with "purges."
President Roosevelt has sustained the army and
the navy. For that more than any other thing done
by his administration he deserves credit. His poll
cies have crippled and shattered the morale behind
the lines. They have reduced and wasted the
wealth, which is the physical strength, of the
public behind the lines-Charlestor News and
Courier