Henderson Daily Dispatch

Dr. Lubin Sees Prosperity As
Result Of Defense Activities
By CHARLES P. STEWART
Central Press Columnist
Washington, Sept. 21.-Dr. Isador
Lubin, chief of the labor department's
bureau of statistics and economic advisor to the national defense
commission
is an
outstanding
personality among many
high
authorities
who speak exceed-
ingly well of the
preparations Uncle
Sam is busy with to
equip the United
States, from
the
army's, the navy's
and our aviation
standpoints, to cope
with any danger
which may threaten
Dr. Isador Lubin our hemisphere.
Favorable commentators, like Dr.
Lubin, concerning this American
preparedness program, more than
deprecate the idea that we're arming
with a view of getting into any
conflict. Emphatically to the con-
trary, they explain that it's impera-
tive for us to be strong enough to
scare any overseas scalawags from
attacking us, thus involving us in
hostilities.
In short, they say, we're arming
for peace; not for war.
I don't believe that anybody but
a very few ultra-pacifists question
the cogency of such reasoning. Most
of us evidently agree that we need
to be loaded for bear in order to
keep today's ugly grizzlies afraid of
us. Some little fault has been found
with our recent legislation on the
subject, but it's related to details;
it hasn't been in principle.
Does It Mean Prosperity?
But Dr. Lubin et al don't stop at
contending that our armament ac-
tivities are necessary as a purely de-
fensive proposition.
Their thesis is that our conscrip-
tion, our warship building, our plane
construction and our gun and am-
munition manufacturing will sop up
all our unemployment, set our in-
dustries a-humming and usher in a
wonderful period of prosperity.
I can remember a time when even
pro-armament spokesmen didn't
argue so hopefully from the economic
angle.
It was shortly before the last
World War. I was a correspondent
in London. It was obvious that a
clash was imminent between Britain
and Germany. Winston Churchill al-
ready was prominent in John Bull's
government. He was clamorous for
faster British warship building.
"I'm perfectly aware," he said in
an interview I obtained, "that a war-
ship hasn't a bit of economic value.
But it's insurance. Insurance prem-
iums are simply money out of pocket
of your place doesn't burn down,
but, if it does, the insurance money
saves you from ruin. A battle craft
is worthless as an investment, but
it's invaluable as protection."
How It Works
It's like this:
I used to be an editor in a town
where stick-ups were rampant.
Had to get to work in the middle
of the night. At that hour the high-
waymen were all over everywhere.
From the point where I got off my
street car to my office was about
a block and a half, right where the
thugs were thickest.
So I provided myself with a 45-
calibre automatic. Getting off my
car, I'd go into Tom Conway's sa-
loon, much patronized by the stick-
up gentry. Calling for a drink, I'd
lay my gun on the bar while I con-
sumed my refreshment. After that
I'd carry my shooting-iron in my
hand the rest of the way. I never
was molested, and I thanked the
gun for it, but I never considered
that that gun paid me any actual
dividends.
As To Armaments.
It's similar with national arma-
ments.
Countries may have to have 'em
but they're of no intrinsic economic
worth. The toil that's devoted to
building them is as much wasted
as leaf-raking. At least that's what
economists once said.
Dr. Lubin's theory is, though, that
we'll get a wonderful period of pros-
perity out of our defensive program.
Doubtless we will get a boom, but
we may get a mean economic re-
action later.