The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1900-04-05
Cost of the Army of Imperial
ism Brought Out in Debate
on Appropriation
Bill.
For Each Soldier in United States Army
the Taxpayer Will Pay $3.50
This Year

'NAA
brought out many facts of suprem
Importance to the taxpayers. 1t ha
furnished for the first time since tn
war in the Philippines began an &c
curate basis for computing the cos
OF the army of Imperialism and thu
cost of each individual soldier. Il
has also furnished figures, the relia
bility OF which is not disputed by
chairman Hull or by any member Of
the house, which proves beyond q
contradiction that secretary of wal
Root not only did not deal fairly
with congress when he reported to it
that the war operations in the Phil
ippines within the last eighteen
months have cost only $5S 900, 900,
but that he deliberately falsified The
figures for partisan administration
purposes.
For the transportation of the sol
diers, clothing of soldiers, commits
sary department and all other
strictly military purposes for the
period covered by Secretary Root,
congress has appropriated in round
numbers $25O,O0O, 900.
For the present fiscal year, alone,
and during it. there have been APP
propriated for the military esta blish-
ments the sums: On army bill, $780,
43O, 2O4 .O6; on the military academy
bill, 1915, 77447; on the legislative,
executive and judicial appropriation
bill, 81 ,O26, 1924 The latter two
bills carry the great majority Of the
2,140 clerks now employed in the
war department for the permanent |
establishment of the United States; |
that is, proportion of a about one
clerk to forty-two enlisted men as
suming the figures of the chairman of |
the committee on military affairs to |
be correct; that our army is not |
within ten per cent Of the total limit |
allowed by law. Beside these amounts
there are carried on the urgent def
cheney bill So, 93O.977.61, giving a
total of $13O,3S7, 1923 That does
not include the fertilization appro-
priation bill. With that included,
81, 800, 900, there is total for the
permanent establishment of $135,-
297, 653.3s. i
This statement includes transpor-
tation and construction, but not any
appropriations growing out of the
civil war or the Spanish war.
WHAT ARMIES IN EUROPE COST.
During 1897 the Austrio-Hunga-
-ian army, 534,196 strong cost in
'ound numbers $4,000, the
French army, 53S,759 strong, cost
n round numbers 1926, 900, 900; the
German army, $4,000 strong, cost
n round numbers $136, 100000. and
he Italian army, 100000 strong.
ost in round numbers 81, 900, 900.
vi the war budgets of the continental 7
lrmies include not only the cost of
maintaining the standing army itself,
tut the charges arising from past )
vars. Thus the war budget of Ger
many, which is S136, 900, 900, carries u
nth 1T expenses arising out of the
1ar with France and the war with l
Iustria. The French war budget II
ihich is 1925, 100000, includes the "
Expenses growing out of the late war J
nth Germany, as well as pensions.
laims, etc.
ANY accurate comparison between
he cost of the army of imperialism ''
nd the armies of Europe, must in :
Jude, with the appropriations for II
he support of the army for the cur !,
ant year, the appropriations grow "
~ out of the civil war and other 1t
airs. These amount to S156. pol q
1858, making the total annual
ar budget of Mckinley on the Ger u
IAN, French or Austro- Hungary .
asls, amount to 1921. $50. 642.Ol ~
Chairman Hull of the military at VI
alrs committee says that there ara &
5000 enlisted soldiers drawing paw N
this time. On that basis the cost u
maintaining each enlisted man of e
he United States army is not 81 600 re
year, as has been contended. On
he contrary, for the fiscal year, ex
udlng the appropriations for forti- F,
cations, it has amounted TO ST AT -
the appropriations for fortifieations %
e included, then the cost for aacb IT,
'idler this year aggregated sl.5o3 I'M
= -i'N'' &c as 10 the cost be an