Page:Frank Owen - Woman Without Love (1949 reprint).djvu/82

. If he was surprised at her frequent changes of address he made no comment. At Christmas time he always sent her a generous check. He was becoming wealthy. Occasionally she saw his name mentioned in the financial columns of the New York papers which she read every day.

Financially, Templeton Blaine was a wizard. His sister was coming to know that. He did not tell her, but the papers did, during the ten years she lived in that small, comfortable house in Peoria. They told her what wonders he was performing in the financial world. They told her, too, how when the United States entered the World War in 1917, he speculated in paraffin wax and lubricating oils. He knew that prices of these commodities would go sky high. He was right. They did. Wax which he bought at four cents a pound went to twelve. His profits were huge. Everything he touched was gold.

Then the first soldiers marched down Broadway, the first regiment back from overseas to aid in recruiting.

Templeton stood on the corner of Broadway and Wall, opposite Trinity Church, and chewed on his cigar. What were these boys getting out of the war? How different was their lot to his! Everything he touched was gold; everything they touched was filth and slime and blood.

What was this thing called patriotism? Why, the Wall Street mob were not patriots; they were bloodsuckers, profiteers, cheap gamblers, making money out of steel, powder, guns, oil, things that were to be used in manufacturing a holocaust that would blow men to death. God, what a huge joke was patriotism! Buying doughnuts from Salvation Army girls, investing in tax exempt bonds, singing stirring songs with hypocritical fervor.

During a war, he reflected, no individual should be allowed to profit in the sale of war supplies. If there were no profiteering, there would be no wars. Wars were the product of big business; they were manufactured by super-salesmen to create a market. War was a filthy, selfish thing. There was nothing grand about it but the uniforms, the music, and the bravery of men who gave all for their country.

Templeton walked all the way home that night. It was the