While my subject is “Avoiding War in the Pacific,” it is felt that the American people are vitally interested in avoiding wars in all oceans and in all lands.
A practicable and workable technique to avoid wars in which the United States may become involved is not limited in its application to the Pacific Ocean and will work equally well in the Atlantic Ocean or the Black Sea—if those who work it are unselfish and honest.
If wars are to be avoided by our country it can be done only by determined and simple political action on the part of the great majority of our people—the trusting majority—which majority does not get up the wars, but which does fight them and which does pay all the bills in blood and money. So it is this great majority to which these words are addressed, in an effort to awaken their interest.
This great majority has neither the time nor the inclination to study the so-called economic causes of war; this majority is interested only in keeping out of wars of all kinds. This majority is not vitally interested in the means by which we are kept out of war. You must remember—wars do not just occur—they are made by men. All efforts which keep us out will be approved, and there will never be a Congressional investigation into the steps taken or the methods adopted, which saved us from a war. There would be nothing to investigate. Men who took a part in peace would be only too willing to publish to the world all their moves.
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. . . bones—“to make the world safe for Democracy”—“I went fighting the business of wars.” Rot—pure, unadulterated, sickening rot. (. . .) saying of their lives and their (. . .) which led those (. . .) die and are (. . .) on the (. . .) left behind (. . .) those whose financial condition would benefit (. . .) to lose.
Appealing peace slogans must be coined and there could be nothing more potent than, “Attend to our own business.”
Then the question is—“What is our own business?” To answer that we must first decide what is meant by that word “Our.” I contend that “Our,” where war is concerned, refers to the people who do the fighting—those who make the sacrifices in blood and never-ending sorrow. I contend that the business of these people is the preservation and protection only of their lives and their homes. Certainly those who die and are maimed on the field of battle and those left behind to sorrow to the of their days cannot, by any stretch, claim an interest in foreign investments.
Our trade with Japan and China together in 1936 showed a balance of about five million dollars in our favor—about one-twelfth the cost of a battleship—and how many of those who might bleed would share in that five millions? We exported to China and Japan 251 millions of dollars worth of products in 1936 and imported 246 millions of dollars worth of their goods. There is nothing we must have from the East in order to live—and live happily and comfortably too. Of course it is desirable—highly desirable to have trade and friendly relations with the Far East.
It is also highly desirable to have amicable relations with the grocer but it certainly will not promote friendly relations if you keep standing in front of his store with a gun. The grocer, or the coal dealer, will not object to a man keeping a gun in his own front yard to protect his home—nor will he object to his keeping fierce watch dogs in his yard to protect him and his family from marauders—but he has every right to vigorously object and even be suspicious of his neighbour’s friendly intentions if the neighbor insists on stationing savage watch dogs in front of his store. No, it is not neighborly, nor is it common sense to so maneuver as to force the owner of property to turn it over to you without just payment.
If a nation’s reputation for fair dealing is good that nation can always get, by purchase, what it needs.
Now what do we mean by this phrase “Own Business.” It does not necessarily refer to trade—in this instance it more properly refers to conduct. So we have “attend to our own conduct.’ Which means: take only a friendly, helpful part in the affairs of others—spread no slander about others—make no faces at others with our Navy—keep our Navel manoeuvres at home—treat all nations alike.
Put all nations on a quota footing with respect to immigration—put our own foreign relations house in order. Tell the whole world just what we intend to defend with our armed forces. Let the world know that we do not intend to invade them or seize their property and that our armed forces are so designed that we could not invade even if a change of administration should cause a change of policy. This would set a fine example and establish us as a square-dealing nation. Then let us make publicly the necessary preparations to carry out our published policy.
In conclusion: when we announced what we intend to defend let us put our national flag over it and forbid the flying of our flag over anything else. Then we will banish our most usual and popular cause for our wars. Our flag belongs to all of us Americans and we Americans should have a voice in where it is flown.