"AH HATES WAR, ELANOR HATES WAR , FALA HATES WAR....

"Ah hates war, Eleanor hates war and Fala hates War....."

stated the then president who might have been the wiliest American politician ever. He stood for re-election three times and probably would have four times had the Grim Reeper not interfered.

He defeated President Hoover by attacking his Keynesian stimulus

measures, then after being elected became the greatest Keynesian of all time ( before Obama)

But nothing worked. The WPA, CCC, Gold confiscation, bank holidays, nothing would bring America back to prosperity.

Then on December 7, 1941 We had a 9/11 event: Japan attacked our military bases and fleet at Pearl Harbor Most people thought at the time ( as did the author ) that it was an un -provoked attack. It was dubbed the Jap "sneak" attack.

We now know that the Japs were goaded into attacking us and could have been easily persuaded to rethink their plans had we merely afforded their delegation to Washington common diplomatic courtesy;

but of course their continued rebuke at the hands of our diplomats and Cordell Hull, then Secretary of State was no accident. The resulting attack and war perfectly fit the need to go to war and thus break the Great Depression.

The 'war solution' unfortunately has been used many times before in history and many times after. No matter how broke a nation might be the international bankers are always ready to loan for war.

Prior to WWII, the USA followed what has been called an isolationist policy. The majority of the people believed in a hands- off of foreign involvement. They believed they were forced into WW I

through the sinking of the Lusitania by Germany which resulted a tragic loss of life. Support was immediately whipped up for entering the Euopean War ( "a war to end all wars") . President Wilson was 'forced' to enter the bloodiest conflict since the civil war. -that is another story maybe for a later time.

So does this mean that our now president will resort to war to break this depression? We pray not. The sophistication of today's weapons, makes war a horrible un-thinkable option.

With Love and Kindness,

THE HATMAN