The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1939-12-13
SURVEY SHOWS
U. S. CAN STAY
OUT OF WAR
BY HENRY ION

WASHlNGION.- tffJ r America
can stay out of war if there is the will
to stay out of war, survey of TIL
war-involving factors in the Unitet
States indicates Made by Duncan Ak
man and Blair Bolles, Washington
newspapermen, the survey is embodied
in a book called Americas Chance
for Peace"
In 1914, the survey declares, this
nation had not been involved In {
major war for nearly half a century
It's people were innocent and naive ii
their attitude towards Europe's war
They were convinced that If the
European nations could only be made
to realize the virtues of the American
way of life, peace would forever bless
the earth.
AS a result of this attitude no effort
was made on the part of the admins
tration to cushion this country from
the shock of war. Money markets
went haywire. Raw materials poured
from this country to the belligerents
and domestic industry became a part
of wars assembly line, Bolles and
Altman declare.
Now the picture is different Con-
hand if there is willingness to use
them. No longer the innocents of 1914,
the American people understand the
basis of the present war better and
are prepared to regard with more
skepticism the activities Of the par
Elephants
The survey recounts how, in 1914,
the then Secretary of the Treasury,
William Gibbs McAdoo, and J. P. Nor
gan held an earnest telephone con-
versation on the July morning that
war broke out. They discussed what
was happening on the stock exchange
and what should be done. The result
of the CONVERSATION was the closing
of the stock exchange for 80 days.
Contrasted with that telephone con-
versation is the. activity in the
treasury on the September morning
this year when bombs began to fall.
Secretary Of the Treasury Henry Nor
ganthau and his aides surveyed the
situation and found no necessity of
immediate steps.
Controls that had been set up con-
corning the sale OF American securi-
ties held by foreigners were function
ing smoothly, so smoothly in fact
that it was hardly necessary for them
to operate at ALL
Also contrasted are the neutrality
policies of 1914 and of 1889. In 1914, !
the survey notes, the policy of the
U. S. was based on International law
which meant, in practice, that, the
country insisted upon it's rights to
sell to and buy from whomever 1t
pleased, upon this right and that right
The neutrality policy of 1889 is more
realistic. 1t declares in principle it's in
sistence upon all these rights under
law but this declara.s ton
is matter of formality. AS matter |
of fact restrictions upon the activities |
Of its citizens have been imposed and |
paper rights forgotten.
In 1914, according to Altman sand /
Bolles, there was no way of controll- /
ing the flow of raw materials to &he |
belligerents and the fact that GREAT |
Britain and her power, meant there
was a tremendous movement Of raw
to the allies with Consequent |
Involvement.
Today the administration is equip
ped to control the flow of raw matter
als through various conservation
statutes, through purchases of it's own
'or its supply heap, through controls
developed during the days Of MIRA. and
he AAA.
Industrial production, too, can be
better controlled if the administration
IS willing. Exercise Of prior rights
IAN prevent repetition of the situation
in 1914 when the war de-
)artment wanted to buy sonic new
Machine guns and was told TO fly a
Kite until European orders had been
illed.
Methods and experience gained dur
ng the past few years when govern
nent took an active interest in the
of industry and insisted
IN the social responsibility of in {
lustrialists, can be made to serve in
the relationships between
var and American industry