Overprinting of money leads to hyperinflation domestically and severe currency depreciation. Think of money as 'deferred goods/services'. If you do not increase your goods/services, any amount of money would just reflect back to the old level of goods/services. Look at the historical wars and what happens when countries increase the money supply to fund wars. From the Spanish conquistadors to the German Nazis, it all lead to the same ramifications to the economy as a result of 'money printing' to fund war.

And using gold as currency would just bring us back several hundred years. A gold backed currency (gold standard) is more practical. And I don't think it would actually do much to tackle the boom and bust of the economy. The great depression happened in an era where countries were still adopting the gold standard.