War Is A Racket (Part 2)

Excerpt of speech delivered in 1933 by Major General Smedley Butler, USMC.

The normal profits of a business in the United States is six, eight, ten, and sometimes twelve percent. But war-time profits – ah! that is another matter – twenty, sixty, one hundred, three hundred, and even eighteen hundred per cent – the sky is the limit.

Of course, it isn't put that crudely in war time. It is dressed into speeches about patriotism, love of country, and "we must all put our shoulders to the wheel," but the profits jump and leap and skyrocket – and are safely pocketed. Let's just take a few examples:

Take our friends the du Ponts. How did they do in the [First World War]? [Comparing] the average earnings of the du Ponts for the period 1910 to 1914 … to their average yearly profit during the war years, 1914 to 1918: Nearly ten times that of normal times, and the profits of normal times were pretty good. An increase in profits of more than 950 per cent.

Bethlehem Steel, United States Steel, Anaconda, Utah Copper [showed an] in profits of approximately 200 per cent. International Nickel Company – and you can't have a war without nickel – showed an increase in profits … of more than 1,700 per cent.