Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-06-04
TUE COST or WAR.


If the military operations in different
parts Of the world have served no other
purpose. they have at least demon
strated the ruinous cost Of modern war
fare. and the necessity Of an interna-
tlonal court Of arbitration. Great Brit
ain has spent in the neghborhood OF
$500 900 900 on her South African ex-
curson. China is to pay over 100000
900 for her anti-foreign outburst. In add
dillon to the millions she has lost
through her enforced entertainment Of
strangers. Nations and rulers have
had an object lesson lately In the cost
Of war. which should go far to bring
about more civilized conditions in the
midst Of civilization.
That seems also to have been the ef-
feet of IT, The Russian car, in an
audience granted to Mr. Frederick
Hollis. a member Of the court Of arbl-
tration, asked him about public opinion
In this country on the question
OF peace, and on learning that
American sentiment is almost
unanimously against war, he was very
much pleased He stated he knew that
public opinion In this country IS great
force and he added that he hoped Rus
sla and the United States would always
stand for the bloodless adjustment OF
international difficulties, Emperor VIII
liam, too has shown unmlstakable signs
OF a desire for reconciliation with Ger
many's old enemy France. Re-
Gently, at banquet, he said
that French and German SOL
dIers have fought shoulder to Shout
der for civilization against common
zoe, in faithful and loyal brotherhood"
That was a strong lntlmatlon that the
time for wars Of retaliation should be
considered past.
1t Is also high time that a more ra-
tional mode Of dealing with internation-
al differences be adopted. Wars are too
expensive, and very often both
parties are brought to the verge
OF financial ruin by them. A
writer in the Home Magazine calcu-
ates that the wars waged during the
past centuries have cost the enormous
sum Of $4,000 100000, and in order to
give an idea OF what that means, he
says there are only g. 1853 900 seconds
in a century, and that consequently
about Sc has been spent every second
for a hundred years, on warfare. If
the world Is only 5000 years Old, the
nations would have to pay So for eve
~ minute since the beginning, In or.
der to settle for the cost Of its wars
during one short century.
How long time It would take to count
out the money in dollars, the writer
also illustrates by showing that II a
man counted 200 a minute for 10 hours
day six days a week, he would have
counted one million in days hours
ana 20 minutes At the same rate he
would need $3.50, days, hours and %
minutes 20 count one billion,or 20 years.
1875 days hours ana 20 minutes, not
counting Sundays, To count twenty
billions would take JS2 years, 80 days.
G hours ana 40 minutes.
Now suppose this enormous sum had
been spent for educational, industrial
and commercial purposes, instead Of Cor
wars Suppose IL had been spent for
The work OF building up instead OF d-5-
JoyIng. how very different would the
world have been today! Many Of the
wars have been waged for the purpose
OF making more room for the stronger
nations, and charging the opportunities
Of making q living. But that object
would have been attained II the twcnly
billion dollars had been spent On ir-
cation canals, roads steamship lines,
public buildings. etc, The world spends
about $3.50 600 900 annually for education.
But for the century's war expenses,
500 100000 might have been added to
this sum, and that Investment would
have been profitable.
The financial features Of modern war
/ fare have been brought prominently to
the front during the past years. They
are sucn that both nations and govern
meuts mus. realize the ever growing
difficulty OF arriving at anything
IKE a Just settlement by recourse 70
arms A tribunal is needed before
winch the small and financially weak
may stand on an equal footing with the
strong and wealthy powers. Otherwise
'he world win drift back 10 the condl