The capitalists of the United States are prepared with “civilized” weapons, a shark’s appetite and a tiger’s methods, to conquer a lion’s share of the vast profits to be wrung from Eastern Asia if they can find enough gullible jackies to do the fighting. Be warned—you toilers in the mills and mines and on the farms. “During the last half century,” writes Dr. Josiah Strong,[179] “European manufactures have risen from $5,000,000,000 to $15,000,000,000. This increase of production has led the European Powers to acquire tropical regions nearly one-half greater than Europe. But while European manufactures were increasing threefold, ours increased sixfold, and we, too, must find an outlet. “All this means that the great manufacturing peoples are about entering on an industrial conflict which is likely to be much more than a ‘thirty years’ war,’ and like all war will cause measureless misery and loss.” The interocean Panama Canal, costing our country hundreds of millions of dollars, is simply _one part_ of the American plutocrats’ plan to dominate the Pacific, bleed Asia, convert the “Republic” into a still less veiled despotism for conquest, commerce and profits to stuff the pockets of the modern Caesars who talk of patriotism and always lust for gold. Mr. William H. Taft, in an interview, spoke thus threateningly in 1908: “The foremost issue of the coming campaign will be the question of expansion and the affairs of our insular possessions. “The American Chinese trade is sufficiently great to require the government of the United States to take every legitimate means to protect it against diminution or injury by any political preference of any of its competitors. “_The merchants of the United States are being aroused to the importance of their Chinese export trade and will view political obstacles to its expansion with deep concern. This feeling of theirs would be likely to find its expression in the attitude of the United States Government._ “The Japanese have no more to do with our policy as a people than any other nation. If they have or develop a policy that conflicts with ours, that is another matter.... “I am an advocate of a larger navy.”[180] There is _talk_ of peace—but _preparation_ for war.