Greenbelt cooperator., 1940-08-08
GEORGE WALLER, lAYoR

cautions be taken to defend country against all
enemies, it is still my frank opinion that military
conscription such that envisioned by the Burke
Wadsworth BILL, is premature.
The current belif that Germany, Japan, any
other world power, could success sf11 1y invade the
United States thousands of miles of ocean,
If there were proof of intention TO do 80, Is so
utterly fantastic to approach the ridiculous.
No less authority than Harry Woodring,
Secretary of War until recently replaced by Henry
Stimson, has gone record as opposed to conscrp-
tion, at least for the present. He believes, and he
should be in better position to know the needs Of
the army than any living man. that adequate mnpo"er
can be obtained by voluntary enli istments.
It also be said that the much adverti sed
gravity of the present "emergency" has not, yet
sufficiently impressed some Of larger business
interests to then being patriotic. Right
now, they demanding, before expanding their
plants for the manu- facture of materials under the
defense program, that they be allowed, for tax pur
poses, to write off all expansions to their perma-
nent plant over a period of from three to five
years. Irving S. olds, chairman of the board of u
nited States Steel has been quoted saying I'VE
asked to increase facilities for armor plate
for which orders Will for the next three to five
years. IF we have to amortiZe 20 years, our
profits during the order period would be unusual ly
large. For that reason we have delayed buying e.
quilment needed for the heavy plate program
until the tax amortization question is settled"
Oddly enough, these Large business interests
are the very ones VINO are "vnooping it up" for
scription, defense programs, aid to Great Britain,
orders and more orders, -- but no taxes; conscrip
tion of man power but conscri ption Of wealth.
Blood may yet flow in order that profits may flow,
and the saddest thing about the whole sad mess is
the fact that hungry man, seeing in the scheme
turn to jobs denied them for years, add their voic
es to the general cry for action.
Unless cautious, the bui lding of md ilitarv
establi sments bids fair to become the country
largest industry. The whole history of Europe du-
ring recelt years is living proof that once nation
dedicates itself to military pursuits conscr ptt on
and imentation, the death lell of democracy is
sounded. The adjustment of economy after the
first World War, from that of a nation geared to
war 70 one engaged In pursuits of peace, plunged
into the abyss of the greatest depression world
history.
Many informed persons fear, and rightly so, that
Uncle Sam may yet develop alitarianitis from
the introduction Of some Of its germs in vain at
tempt to vaccinate against that dread disease. Ger
tainly, If We do emerge from the next readjustment
Wi tn vestige of democracy left We shall have
performed the miracle of history.
It is, of course, true that If the Axis Powers
succeed In their threats to crush England, they are
likely to command the of foreign trade, sub
stituting their "barter" system present one.
Then they Will attempt to Systematically close to US
one avenue of trade after another until exports
Will be exerted South and Central American
ned nations to draw them out of sphere of
inf1uence into that Of the dictator nations. Then
We would have to either adopt Of economic
self suff1ciency, calling for a type of social
ICED economy, or else resort to to drive the
"trade pirates" from the If choose war,
our so-cal1ed defense Program" Will be mighty
handy thing to have around, in neventua1i tiesn
develop as they likely to when the export going
gets tough. Certainly, after have mortgaged our
futures and those of children and children
children, to build up the strongest army and navy
IN the world, We would be "us" indeed to sit idly
by and see our best markets go to Limbo.
Let US, by all means, do whatever is necessary to
defend our country against all of its potential en-
em1es, but let's do 1T the intellige way. Let
build up economy which will render impotent the
apostles of tota1itarianiH H by maldng it possible
that all who would work for living be given the
chance. Let US go slow in adopting the methods Of
"htlerim". Let us fight for democracy by building
a democracy that all within vast country will be
convinced Is worth fighting for, in order that we
may effectively turn to fiji ght the "fifth column
tst", the agttator, and the saboteur. Then let US
make determined effort to build up good will with
our Latin neighbors to the south that con-
vince them that it Is to their advantage to work
with US rather than to court the favor Of the
aggressor nations. We daily moving closer to