The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1939-10-26
We Wont Prepared Peace

We Wont Prepared Peace
1t seems to all appearances that the United States
government is looking ahead to the time when this coun-
try may be drawn into war.
Officials of the National Guard, a group likely to
see active service right along with the regular army in
the event of war, issue the orders for local batteries
throughout the state, and we presume nation, to double
the regular drills.
Summer camps and training schools for the past
two years have been tightening up as though they mean
business. Officers in the regular army feel it as well.
Thus we believe that if this nation does get into
a war in the next few years she will be more prepared
for it than we were when we entered the World War.
Authorities on the last war tell us that as many OF our
men were killed by sheer carelessness, due to our un-
prepared status, as were killed by German bullets.
The War Department should certainly see to it that
all fighting units are maintained at the highest possible
peak of efficiency in peace times. If we 40 get INTO
war we want our soldiers so well trained that only a
minimum will be sacrificed.
But before we enter any war our congressman
should be made to digest this sordid story Of our ,parti-
cipation in the World War. Here are some of the better
known facts:
To pay for our actual participation cost this coun-
repaid, ran more than 8 billion more. That's a DIRECT
COST of 80 billions, then, paid mostly in the productive
wealth of our factories, our retailing, our farming, and
the hard work of Americans in every branch of pro-
ductive enterprise.
What's more, it's only the beginning; It takes no
that followed the war. Total veterans expenditures to
date, for instance, have come to nearly IL billion dollars
more. Whereas back in 1916 the United States was
paying about 1900, 900 on its veterans Institutions,
today it is spending over $500 900.
To make the picture even worse, these direct costs
hardly begin to account for the burden a war imposes
It takes no account, most of all, of the losses that come
directly to industry. on whose welfare the prosperity
of the nation depends, from the dislocation of an entire
economy-from idle factories, idle men, and idle invest
ments, the inevitable aftermath of war. AS one author
ity well puts it, SIN the calculation of war cost there is
literally no end"
No wonder all those productive groups in this coun-
try who help to create the wealth that is poured down
the drain of war want only peace.
Gold Coast Customers
We see by the papers where patrons of Jaeksons
famous Gold Coast may now be expected to get arrest
ed along with p%roprietors of the joints that dot this
famous spot.
If Governor White had instructed the National
Guard to do that the first raid they made in that vicinity
we are of the opinion that it wouldn't have been neces-
The reason the Gold Coast continues to florish is
because Barnum was right.
Scare the patrons away. Confront them with ar
rest and their names in the papers and the Gold Coast
will see the end shortly.
When the suckers stop coming the place will fold
up of its own voition.
And it won't take $25, 900 of the peoples money to
do it.