CANTO XVIII
There are certain known causes of war, or let us say there are certain perfectly well-known forces that constantly work toward war. [...]
The known causes of war are:
- Manufacture and high pressure salesmanship of munitions, armaments etc.
- Overproduction and dumping, leading to trade friction, etc. strife for markets etc.
- The works of interested cliques, commercial, dynastic and bureacratic.
The useful research, in fact the only research that is not almost a sabotage of intentions for peace foundations would consist in contemporary (not retrospective) i.e. up to the minute gathering and distribution of information re these activities - through commercial channels or through any other.
Where retrospection is necessary or commodious, the life of Sir Basil Zaharoff would be a fascinating document, any well-informed record of the exact procedures followed by Vickers or Krupp in getting off their products onto "les nations jeunes," of passing the guns into China or other areas of absorbtion. [...]
Needless to say the individual unsubsidized author is in less advantageous position to gather such data than a whole staff of paid researchers with ten million dollar endowment behind them. [i.e. The Carnegie Endowment for Peace].
(Ezra Pound. “Peace” Exile (Autumn 1928); SP 222)
