Evening star., 1940-05-29
PIeu Of 'Huve-Nots'
Declared False
Writer Says Resort to War
Invites Ultimate
Retaliation
To the Editor Of The Star:

Retaliation
| TO the Editor Of The Star:
The stock wall Of certain well-known
nations with ef1icient armies and expan-
| sive ambitions, wall echoed frequently
tor them by American sympathizers, is
to the effect that they are "have-nots''
which did not get to the counter in time
when opportunities were being handed
out. The have" nations are the vil-
hans in the piece who must be compelled
TO share their spoils by force II they. are
unwilling to do so otherwise.
This complaint takes two different
forms. complaint that more land is
needed for expanding populations and
complaint that more raw materials are
needed for expanding industry.
But we notice that the principal COM
plalnants-Japan, Italy and Germany
are not the only nations with dense
populations which might fairly ask for
more territory on that account. If the
argument is valid, these three states
should be equally concerned for the
unfortunate Chinese, Hindus, Javenese,
puerto Ricans and Belgians, but I have
not observed that they show much con-
Germ over these brethren in misfortune,
secondly, the compliments might be
reminded that populations may expand
even though national boundaries do not.
Otherwise, how do we happen to have
many thousand Germans, Italians and
even Japanese, and their descendants,
IN this country today, and how is it that
there are SO many more in South Amer
lea and In other parts of the world?
Moreover, we might diplomatically call
attention to the fact that further ac-
ceptances Of German, Italian and
japanese people are hindered by the be-
havior OF their home governments and
the fear lest such immigrants be used as
means for extending the power of those
governments by permeation or by an
occasional blitzkrieg.
Again. the countries which complain
loudest about surplus population are
those most careful to ban family limi-
tation propaganda and even subsidize
parenthood. If it is to the greater good
OF mankind that there be several million
more Japanese, Italians and Germans
IN the world than there are today, It is
simple mathematics that the time will
come when family limitation must be
applied by them.
And finally, 1t is open to doubt whether
huge families make for the highest hap
plness OF either parents or children.
II such condition is general, the very
happiness which is supposed to accrue to
nation through increase in population
and consequent power will be lost in the
process OF attaining it. For the happi-
ness Of nation cannot be divorced from
the happiness of the individuals of whom
1t consists.
Contemplation of these facts leads to
the suspicion that those who complain
Of having too little land for their people
have In mind less the happiness of the
people than the aggrandizement of their
government and those who control 1t.
Turning to the problem OF raw mate
rials. we note IN the first place that the
have" nations are not elf-sufficient to
the extent that the "have-not" nations
give one to suppose. For instance, the
United States might seem to occupy nrst
place in the list Of "haves," but a recent
examination Of our essential raw mate
rials shows that we are dependent for
several of them on Southeastern Asia
and the East Indies which we in no
manner control. Whether Russia is DO
tentially self-sufhcient or not, she has
failed to attain to an enviable standard
Of living. In the case of England we
have to remember that the protective
tariffs which now hinder access to the
materials she controls were forced upon
her largely by the complaining nations,
after she had established and continued
over long period system Of free
exchange.
This last case Is proof that 1t is not
necessary for nations to own the sources
OF raw materials in order to obtain them.
The example Of England also shows that
it is largely the fault of the compliments
II free access is interferred with. A
further cause is threat of military ac-
ton which defeats the very object the
latter have in view. At the present time
the British Empire is in effect an associ-
alton of independent nations, and it
does not necessarily follow that the de-
mands of the mother country will take
precedence over those of other nations,
II the latter can promise greater trade
advantages, except for the threatening
attitude which they frequently assume.
And Americans should note that this
complaint is aimed straight at them
since South America, around which we
have flung the Monroe Doctrine, is the
greatest single reservoir of undeveloped
resources in the world today. II these
nations, individually or collectively, build
up their sea power to approximate equal
ity with our own, how long do you sup
pose the Monroe Doctrine will remain
unchallenged?
The cure suggested for such inequities
as do exist is an association of nations
similar to that which binds the autono-
nous states of the British Empire to-
gether, and the outlawry OF war. An
attempt to right the supposed injustices
under which "have-not" nations labor
by resort to arms, however successful at
times, is certain, unless all history be-