Question

Read the quote. Senator Norris opposed U.S. entry into the war. Why do you think he asked this question?

"To whom does war bring prosperity?"

Senator George Norris, "Against Entry Into War," April 4, 1917

A) To highlight the economic benefits of war.
B) To question the motives of those who support war.
C) To promote the idea that war is always necessary.
D) To emphasize the need for military preparedness.

Answer 1

Senator Norris's question, "To whom does war bring prosperity?", is a rhetorical one that challenges the motives behind support for wartime engagements, suggesting that wars predominantly benefit the rich at the expense of the poor.

Step-by-step explanation:

Senator George Norris, in asking the question, "To whom does war bring prosperity?", was not highlighting the economic benefits of war, but rather questioning the motives of those who support it. Norris, alongside other anti-war Americans such as Henry Ford and Jane Addams, recognized that war tended to benefit a select few, often at the cost of the many, particularly the poor. As Norris posed this question during his opposition speech on April 4, 1917, against U.S. entry into World War I, it's clear that his intent was to challenge the justification for the conflict and suggest that it would mainly profit the wealthy, casting doubt on the ethical underpinnings of engaging in such warfare.

Therefore, the correct response to why Senator George Norris asked the question is B) To question the motives of those who support war. This falls in line with the prevalent sentiments among certain American demographics at that time who believed in neutrality and perceived the Great War as a matter pushing the poor to fight for the rich men's profits.