The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1948-01-09

| hear-"We are voting peace and Sc
curity for ourselves and our children's
children. We are fighting for old
fashioned Americanism at the polls
in 1948
We are fighting for freedom of
speech and freedom of assembly. We
are fighting to end racial discrimina-
ton. We are fighting for free labor
unions, for jobs, and for homes in
which we can decently live"
We have just passed through the
holiday season when every radio and
every church proclaimed the joyous
tidings of peace. Every year at this
time the hearts of the American
people swell with genuine good will
toward all mankind. We are kind
ly, well meaning people. But the holt
day season soon passes and one of the
first items on the agenda of the new
congress is universal military training.
say the first political objective of
progressives is the defeat of this bill
which would deliver our 18-year-olds
over to the Army and cost the nation
two billion dollars a year.
COST OF WAR BROUGHT HOME
The American people read of the
fantastic appropriations that are be-
ing made for military adventures in
Greece, Turkey, China-and billions
for ornaments here at home. Slowly
it daWns on us that these newspaper
headlines have stepped into our every
day lives at the grocery store when
we pay 81 for butter, 95 cents for
eggs, and go cents for meat. We sud-
denly realize that we can't have all
the people of the world getting ready
for the next war without paying for
it in our daily lives with less food,
clothing and housing. War prepare
lions create record profits for big
business but only false prosperity for
the people-their purchasing power
shrinks as prices rise, their needs go
and they are burdened with
new debts. Yes, corporate profits are
over three times what they were in
1899, but every family is paying for
our war policy at the grocery store.
Two years ago | denoucned those
who were talking up World War III
as criminals. OF course, the bulk of
our people are not criminals, but it is
possible for a little handful of war
to stampede them. AS Mark |
Twain long ago pointed out: THE |
nation will rub its sleepy eyes and try |
to make out why there should be a
For it is unjust and dis
and there is no necessity |
or it, The handful will shout louder
and now the whole nation will take
lp the war cry and shout itself hoarse,
md mob any honest man who ven
ures to open his mouth and presently
uch mouths will cease to open Next
he statesmen will invent cheap lies,
,utting the blame on the nation that
S attacked, and every man will be
,lad of those conscience soothing
alsities."
OF ABUNDANCE 80.
This pattern as Mark Twain saw
so years ago is repeating itself.
IN a scale so vast as to threaten the
obstruction of humanity. The rich
have always been more
eady to sacrific their sons than their
honey, but now they have reached
point where they are willing to
aerifice both for the sake of world
ontrol.
1t just doesn't make sense. The &
me has come for new party to fight
lese war makers. We say that peace
mandatory and that it can be had
we only want it. :
Universal military training is the
rst decisive step on the road toward
ascism. We shall fight it to the limit
nd all congressman who vote for it. t
A new party must stand for posi- :
We peace program of abundance and :
ecurity, not scarcity and war. We
an prevent depression and war if we |
My organize for peace in the same
way we organize for a
ar. I,
OR HELPING HUMAN BEINGS D
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