The herald., 1898-10-30
DISARM THE WORLD
WHAT THE CZAR'S PROPOSAL
:. REALLY MEANS
HIS SINCERITY IMPEACHED
An Enormous Burden of Taxation
Would Be Shifted From the
Nations

The cars appeal to the powers of the
world to agree to a general disarmament has
astonished and amused most OF the powers.
The czars sincerity has been impeached;
his plan has been vociferously applauded;
he has been accused of cowardice, and credit
ed with being wise. In all this he has been
given the credit of saying something tilat set
the world thinking, nevertheless, and re-
cent writer in the Washington Post has put
down few OF his thoughts and surmises in
attractive form. Whether the general peace
plan is carried through or not, the idea has
food for thought in lt-and food for thought
for those who disagree with the white ear
as well as for those who think him sincere
and believe the scheme feasible one.
If the proposition had come from some
feeble little state, says the writer, with
small army and "A smaller revenue, it would
still have been worthy of consideration, be-
cause it is the right thing to do, but coming
as it does, from one of the great powers OF
the EARTH having the greatest army, and gov
erning a hundred millions Of people by the
sword, it is startling; and as the London
Chronicle says, it takes away ones breath.
True it is, it might have happened TO Rus
sian ear to have been born with conscience.
India, we know, had her Gautama, and Eng
land her Alfred. But in this instance,
suspect that the good head of the Russians
mas Deen II student OF lHe WiltlnSS, II Hol ii
pupil, cf his great subject, Tolstoi, who
stands foremost in the world today among
the expounders and eyemplars OF the sub
Ilimest heights of Christian Obligations of man
to his fellow-man.
WARS WITHOUT MONEY
In.the middle ages wars were carried on
with little money. The tenure OF the land,
under the feudal system, was military ser
vice The barons held under the kings on
these terms, and the people held under the
barons. The only arms to be purchased
were the swords and wooden pixies, steel
pointed, and shields, and these were pro-
vided at the cost of the soldier: The wars
| were not of long duration, and when they
We're over there was no heavy debt to be
settled. Gunpowder was invented and in
troduced in the fourteenth century, with
| firearms and cannon, which gradually in
creased the cost of wars. But it was not un-
| til the reign of William Ill, which began in
| 1889, that England began to have national
debt. Now that debt amounts to more
pounds sterling than all the lands of Europe
would have sold for two centuries ago, and
Great Britain raises and eXpends annually
at this time more money than all Europe
could have raised at that day. The millions
now spent for soldiers pay, for rations, for
great ships and great guns have wrought a
great change. The consequence Is that wat
making is now game that kings must play
at cost Which menaces them with bank
ruptcy.
The enormous burdens of the European
people, imposed for the support of theil
great armies and navles. Is little understood
in this country. Our own army, previous tt
the recent war with Spain, wa, less than
twentieth OF those of European countries
having less than half as much population
and wealth as this country. Our army wa
only about q 900 strong. in officers and men
France and Germany had armies twent,
times as large.
GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND
Great Britain and Ireland have an are;
of l20010 square miles. The national deb
is $500 773, ,679. which is equiva lent in ou
money, at $4.S6 to the pound sterling, t.
Sc, ,263, ,934, ,722. The interest is .c2500O,0OO
which is something under Sl25Q00, 900.
The revenue of Great Britain and Irelanc
is fll2, 29l 600, equal to S5l6,0D,0O6. Th
annual expenditure is fl00, 100000, equal t.
1888 926,7l6
The army is composed of 100,B4l officer
and men. This number does not include tn,
armies of India and the colonies, which arr
supported by the revenues of those foreign
possessions The navy consists ot 90 battle
ships and Isl ships of war of all sizes Th
ships are manned by l00,054 officers ant
men.
| FRANCE
France has an area of 204, ,092 square mile
of territory. The population at the las
census was 3s,5l7,D75.
The national debt was 3lyO04, 1855, "a
francs. The franc is 1913 cents, and the deb
is, therefore, equal to $6,00I, I,2lO,s54.
The revenue of France is 1856, ,87S, ,93
francs, equal to $648, ,S42, ,63i.
The expenditure is 3,342 632 1919 francs
equal to $845. 1851
The French army consists of G2l, ,45S of
iicers and men.
The navy consists of Is battleships of tn,
first class, 8 Of the second Glass; anGl29 ship
of war besides, not including AZ ipartiall,
protected cruisers and some 20W torped,
boats.
GERMANY
4 The German empire has an area 'of oil,
los square miles, with Il population of So.
279,9Ol Other accounts represent the ares
to be 20S,530 and the population to be 49,,
1901.
The national debt of Germany is ., r25, 255,
100 marks. The mark is equal to 23S cents
and the debt, therefore, is equal to $5O5,
8l0,7l4
The revenue of Germany is l,29a, 46S, ,OO(
marks equal to S30S, ,32l 1884
The expenditure is the same as the debt
The army of Germany consists of 562.
352 officers and men.
The navy consists of eight first and seconc
class battleships and fifty-seven other YES
sells of war, besides 1872 torpedo boats
These vessels are manned by %, ,403,officer.
and men.
| The area of Russia in Eurona ;c. s+,+o od