The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1940-01-25
Why America Should Not Join
In The European War

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In recent issues of The Republican
there have been printed number of
articles written by students in the
Garrett county public schools on the
subject which captions this article and
sent The Republican by the Board of
Education. Today is presented two
such compositions, one by student Of
Friendsville grade school and the other
by a pupil of the Accident grade
school.
The compositions follow:
There are many reasons for our
staying out of war but shall discuss
only few.
In the first place, wars in Europe
are caused by interior problems over
which we can have but very little in
fuence. Europe is composed of a
large number of nationalities, races,
and creeds, all of which since the be-
ginning of written history, have been
jealous, highly suspicious, and dis
trustful of each other. 1t was this
condition which kept ancient Greece
from ever becoming a united nation.
History will, am sure, bear me out
when | say that this jealousy is as
present in Europe today as it ever was
in Sparta and Athens.
Secondly, wars in Europe are COM
mon because the geography of the
country tends to encourage them. The
many mountains, peninsulas, and
islands tends to encourage the forma-
ton and the existence of many small
countries, all of which are, more or
less, at the mercy of a few large ma
tions which they surround or border.
Since the three necessities of life are
food, clothing, and shelter, man will
| fight in order to obtain these if they
cannot get them in any other way.
Therefore, because of economic con-
ditions and raising of trade barriers
or seeking commercial advantages, one
nation begins to make it hard for
another to obtain these necessities of
life and the people are willing to fight.
In the next place, war never settles
the above problems in a satisfactory
way. 1t simply exhausts nation I'M
til it can no longer fight When faced
with starvation or exhaustion form
of government is often forced on peo-
pie and they are sure to resent this
government as soon as the menace of
starvation is removed, hence another
war often follows.
Therefore, since we cannot by enter
ing this war either cure or remove
the jealousies of countries, nor change
the geography of the European CONT
nent, nor solve their economic prob
lens we should keep out of this strug-
gle.
JANICE LOUISE FRIEND.
Grade Seven, Friendsville school.
Can we afford to engage in this vain
European War? 1t would mean the
loss of much money spent for war
materials, the slaughter of great num-
bers of our gallant young men, the
breaking up of homes, and the destruc-
ton of great masterpieces of art, uni
versities, museums, churches, etc.
Taxes would increase, prices would
rise, and people would suffer from
these conditions. We are still suffer-
ing from many of these evils as a re-
suit of the last European War in which
we engaged. We also have many
soldiers insane and afflicted in many
ways today in veterans hospitals and
other institutions as a result of the
World War.
If we were to take sides with some
of the warning nations of Europe and
lose, what would happen then? The
aftermath Of hard times would again
occur. We would be in greater debt,
our government would be weak, in
fact we might be ruled by the dictator
whose supreme power is threatening
world peace at this time.
! Even if we were able to bring peace
through victory, and an armistice
were to be signed, in a short time un-
settled disputes would probably occur
and would result in another war before
very long.
Martin Dies has uncovered some
startling information regarding I'M
American activities which indicate
that we have many enemies within our
country and that in case of war we
would be menaced by sabotage.
In the worlds raging war we must
make united fight not to kill but to
preserve peace.
LOIS KAESE.
Grade Seven, Accident School.