...Senate Doc. # 259. The 65th congress(:)...The coal companies made between 100% and 7,856% on their capital stock during the war (to end all wars, WWI). ...The leather people sold your Uncle Sam hundreds of thousands of saddles for the calvary. But there wasn't any calvary overseas!
Smedley ButlerI had a swell racket. I was rewarded with honors, medals, promotions. l might have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate a racket in three city districts. The Marines operated on three continents.
Smedley ButlerIt is dressed into speeches about patriotism, love of country...but the profits...skyrocket.
Smedley ButlerFor a great many years, as a soldier, I had a suspicion that war was a racket; not until I retired to civil life did I fully realize it.
Smedley Butler