Spirit of the Press

Northland Age, Volume 3, Issue 14, 5 January 1934, Page 7

Spirit of the Press

THEY NEVER SLEEP! While powerful interests affiliated with the airplane business are telegraphing a plea to President Roosevelt to spend §79,000,000 at once on war planes, the British Admiralty are announcing new building plans for 1934, which include six cruisers, twelve destroyers, three submarines —all, please note, in the interest of “increasing England’s bargaining power at the next naval conference in 1935.” Our aircraft industry is alarmed because it thinks this nation ranks “fourth or fifth” in the air. Consultation of the official records would remove this misconception by disclosing that the United States ranks second or third. But let that pass. The real point is that the armament and munitions interests have an active lobby ; and that lobby never sleeps. Seldom in history has it been as busy as today. Its tactics are quite familiar to those who have taken the trouble to explore them. First, an important order is secured from one nation. At once the firm getting the order rushes agents to the capitals of neighbours of the first and whispers the news. “Can you risk letting this go on without protecting yourself?” they ask. And the result, usually, is a second thumping order. It is a sinister racket.

In times like these let us remember the armaments lobby. Making all due allowance for the dangers besetting the world, let us refuse to become blinded to the greater danger which it presents.—Boston Globe.