World Peace and Economic Freedom |
[An address delivered at the Henry George Congress. Reprinted from Land and Freedom, Januuary-February 1937]
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There can be no world peace until there is economic freedom.
In order to destroy the seeds of war there must be not only freedom
of trade in exchange but freedom of trade in production.
Nations do not naturally hate one another. They are usually
made to hate one another because some trade barrier has been raised
between them.
In the early Colonial days in this country, New York and New Jersey and Pennsylvania were at daggers drawn. So was it between
all the colonies. They had tariff levies along all their borders.
It was not until England began taxing them without representation
that they joined forces, did away with their little inter-colonial
tariffs and discovered they were brothers one people to stand
united.
If Europe today would only take to her heart this chapter out of
our history the future might look less black! For it is estimated
by those "in the know" that at best, war in Europe is but two years
away. Horrible thought! And those of us who know how to check
the tremendous catastrophe must work harder than ever before. The
writing is on the wall! We must interpret it to a confused and bewildered world.
We must not only show that there needs to be reciprocal trade
or rather free trade between nations, but if we are to become civilized
there must be freedom for labor and capital. There must be more
jobs a congenial job for every worker. Peoples cannot be driven
to fight one another if they are happy and contented within their
own borders.
I am a member of the Women's International League for Peace and
Freedom but I know of how little avail it is to shout against the building of bigger and better battleships and against the production of
munitions when the manufacture of these fighting implements give
employment to thousands who would otherwise be out of work.
How can these poor laborers refuse to produce the tools that will
probably mean their own destruction, when the wages they receive
are needed to keep their children alive?
No, there is little use in trying to reform at the top. We must
go to the foundation and discover the cause of war to be a rotten economic system.
If "right action will follow right thought" we must think correctly and to do that we must study the science of political economy,
for it is imperative that we make an adjustment of the social order
which will mean "equal opportunity for all, special privilege for none."
That Is why the splendid growth and development of the Henry
George School of Social Science started a little over three years ago,
has given so many of us heart of grace. This School (charging nothing
for its tuition), has extension classes that are spreading around the
globe. Not only are there 102 cities with classes in the United States
and Canada but there are classes in Ireland, Mexico, Denmark, Holland,
New Zealand, Australia, Halifax (word has just come of this) and
Great Britain.
Had there been a Henry George School of Social Science installed
in England a few years back, there would be less threat of Fascism
or Communism there now.
The world must be taught to think right and right action will follow
as the day follows the night. The philosophy of Henry George is
spreading like wild fire. Thank God for this for it is the answer to
war!
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