Milford chronicle., 1939-11-10
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~ JAMES Preston

~ JAMES PRESTON
For hard and realistic descrip-
tions of what something really
means, it's usually a good idea tu
go TO the dictionary or encyclopedia
The definitions contained therein
may not be very poetic. but they give
real picture of the hard facts
Here's tie definition of war con
tanned IN the encyclopedia:
The oct of war consists in the
destruction of mems bodies and the
work OF their hands.
More and more. as reports from
all over the world come pouring
into Washington. experts are being
made to ~eali2e the destructive ef-
feet of war. either directly or indi-
reCtly. to the work of mems hands"
to the industry and enterprise that
in time of peace are devoted TO MAX
ing the material life of people hap
pier and more comfortable.
The FIRST observation naturally
made by economists on this subject
is that war expenditures generally
are not what is called "produc-
tive"
To put it another way money that
goes into an explosive she'll does not
produce anything. Instead. it de
stroys not only life but other things
which also cost money.
A tractor, for example. is pro-
ductive if It is used to piow and
plant a farm. The food it produces
goes to the general benefit. But If
the tractor is covered with armOr
plate and turned into tank, it he
comes a destructive rather than
constructive weapon.
Thus the present war like all
others is proving a serious drain
upon every nation. 1t would appear
that most Americans now realize /
that without. perhaps. having put il 1
into those words. Certainly industry. 3
as its attitude is reflected through
the recent anti-war declaration of
the National Association of Manu- I,
facturers. realizes it, American man
ufacturers would lot rather sell
plows thln swords. for plows pro
duce goods which farmer can sell
for money with which to buy more
plows
Confidential reports which have
just reached Washington tell a tragic
story about the cost of war to tiny.
neutral Switzerland.
Perched high in the Alps and fac
ing belligerent on two sides. the
Al.
lie plateau and valley lands offer
1ne of The best strategic military
'Outes around the Maginot Line and
he Siegfried West Wall. To avoid
offending any nation. and thus Of
ering al excuse for invasion. they
lave made neutrality almost a re
igion
They have carried this so far that
when their President recently visit
ID the frontier on an inspection tour
le gave cigarettes to both the Z
french and German soldiers posted
IN the border
But the neutrality is an armed
The Swiss are determiu- {
d to defend their land against any
INVADER. Consequently, their crafts !
len who are famed throughout the d
world for their ability to make deli .
ate mechanical devices have been
allied to take up arms That is
There the tragic part of the story .
nters.
Reports seeping into Washington
ell that it is costing Switzerland 7
lore than a million dollars day to ,
eep the workmen modified That j
5 tremendous sum when one re-
lembers that the Swiss govern v
rents expenditures for all purposes II
4 1898 were only Sl25.S72 000 n
her present army alone D
'ould cost nearly three times that .
luch. :
Even more important is that n
witzerland's foreign trade is dis ri
ppearins. In the one month of Sep Il
smber, the Swiss lost 81 per cent
their trade. So long as her men
Lay modified. Switzerland will c
ave the tcrrifically increased cost a
} meet and reduced income to meet IL
. il
o u
Dies Committee sidelight: Publi- IL
alton of the names of government n
nployees who belonged to the Am W
rican League for Peace and Demo- S,
racy, officially described as com D,
unist front organization" begins g,
, bring results. Within "a hours in
oyer Baldwin. President of an G,
her liberal group. the American
ivil Liberties Union. resigned from
lie League. e,
Representative Dies won wide Ell
bread commentator with his as to
,rtion that ito my way of thinking S
Government employees belong to sc
dominated by foreign 81