Imperial Valley press., 1943-12-07

Editors Note: This column today is being
DEVOTED to { direct quotation of an editorial in
The December. 1943 issue Of the International
Teamster written by its editor Daniel J. Tobin.
This editorial will be of especial interest TO
Imperial Valley people.)
What good is all the money that you
get or that you can save; what good is
all the glory and the patting on the back
that you give yourself, if we lose this
war?
Everything you have will be wiped oGt
If we lose this war.
Money will be worthless-as | have
seen it in Germany in 1922. | bought
miIlion-mark bill for five cents in the
Bbby of the Adelon Hotel in Berlin. |
bought it as a souvenir; but it remonds
fae-and it should you-of how little
good money is when liberty and freedom
aMElost
About year after the last war ended
Il 1918 Germany disavowed all her in
debtedness and all of her money. In
other words, they said it wasn't worth
anything to the people.
J During 1914, 1915, 1916 and 1917 the
German Kaiser, with Hindenburg and
others, had promised the people every
thing. The result was they got nothing
and the workers were practically en-
Aaved.
sThe German government began then to
Tax the people so heavily that there was
no encouragement to go ahead in busl-
ness.
4 However, by disavowing their obliga-
lions as agreed to in the Treaty of Yer
sailles, they secretly set aside their new
E-created money, again hired millions of
workers, and began to build the present
war machine.
When this war ends, if Germany loses
las we hope and pray she will-the
German people will again be impover-
ished perhaps for generations, and will
have to work harder than before in order
To exc out an existence.
: The trouble in our country is that
everybody believes there is no chance
for us to lose the war The American
workmen are intelligent and understand
ing beyond those of European countries
but because of the success we have had
III creating and continuing and improv-
ing our freedom since l776, we have
feeling that it is impossible to defeat US.
Overconfidence is one of the greatest
weaknesses any nation can possess. Any
prizefighter entering the ring believing
there is no chance for him to be defeated
is in great danger >.
This was demonstrated in England
very thoroughly when Hitler started out
on his rampage to destroy the civilized
nations bordering on Germany.
was in England addressing the Brit
ish sTrades Union Congress about the
time Austria was trampled upon. Then
Czerhoslovakia, in violation of all the
pledges, promises and treaties of the
Germans, was ruthlessly taken over and
itsfbusiness men and patriots tortured
ana murdered. Then Poland was brutal
ly destroyed.
About this time the labor delegates
attending the British Trades Union Con-
grfss shouted from the house tops about
The failure of the British government to
doHsomething.
The truth of the matter is this: that
Chamberlain pacifist and comproms-
ert of the worst kind, had disarmed,
weak country considering the military
strength of Germany. Worse than all
thht, instead of preparing, Chamberlain
and his government refused to believe
that England was in any danger.
Again the sin or crime Of cocksureness
prevailed. Chamberlain and his asso-
ciates believed that any nation would be
committing suicide if they attempted to
attack England, on her own shores or
even in her possessions or territories.
What foolish pipedream this was, be-
cause at that same moment Germany
was laying out the roads and maps pre-
pairing to destroy England.
have repeatedly said that Frenchmen
i mean the politicians of France-were
worse than those who are in trance as a
result of opium. They were doped COM
pletely with their Maginot Line, as time
has since proven
A year before this, meeting the French