Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-05-29

II Peace More Deadly than WARY
OF course, almost anything can be
moved with the aid Of statistics, and
The required statistics are usually not
difficult to obtain. A writer in the
Chicago Record Herald nos demonstra-
ted that war is not 80 deadly as the
daily dangers Of peace. Here are some
OF the interesting figures which he pro-
duces on the point. In the battle of
Bull Run, in 1861, the iossss OF both
sides, as nearly as they can be ascer-
tanned, were S57 killed and 1858 wound
ed. In the coal mines Of Pennsylvania
in 1901 the losses were S14 killed and
1899 wounded. OF course. coal mining
IL somewhat hazardous occupation
may be deemed unfair. Here is another
one, however, drawn from the railway
industry:
That a passengers chances Of getting
hurt on a railway train are less than
I'm his own home is we'll known. Some
branches of the railway service are
classed as hazardous. but many others
are not. The danger to human life
from railways, taking into account
everybody affected, is probably no
greater than I'm any other environment.
Yet the losses OF the United States
from railroad accidents, including troll
lev lines. in 1904 were 2.l99 killed and
137. 9l6 wounded. In the three greatest
battles Of S63-Chancell )rsville. Chick
amauga and Gettysburg-the losses
were 1857 killed and 6, 4OS wounded.
These "butcheries Of peace" as he
calls Them are brought forward by a
socialist writer to prove that the
"capitalistic organization Of society" is
all wrong because Of its alleged de-
structiveness to human life. OF
course. the argument really proves
nothing. These men were killed and
wounded in doing the ordinary work of
the world, and that work would still
have to be done, no matter what the
social formation.
But these figures Of the Chicago
Record Herald writer do prove that
battles of war are not more deadly than
the daily dangers Of peace. An insur-
ance actuary submits some calcula-
lions. based on insurance experience.
which proves the point in another way.
He finds that the fatal accident rate OF
American cities-the killings in which
no criminal intent Is fOund-is between
eighty and eighty-five Il year to each
100 600 of population. On the basis of
50. OOO, 900 population this would give 4
yearly loss Of about 5000 lives.
During the Civil War. as near as can
be told. 44o3s Union soldiers were killed
In battle. and 49, O5 died of wounds.
The Confederate losses are imperfectly
recorded. but were certainly not greater
than the Union. Doubling the foregO-
ing figures and dividing by four gives
yearly loss from war of 46.722 lives.
Deaths In the Union army from disease
and unknown causes were 10000.
Doubling and dividing by four as above.
this gives a yearly loss Of 1O5. 200 lives.
Yet this was only three in 1000 Of the
population in 1860. whereas the death
rate from all causes. while much lower
than forty years ago. vas still owe.
eighteen in 1000 In 1900. Hence we can
not assume that the soldiers who died
of disease would not have died had
there been no war.
or course, all this does not prove that
war is not a great evil But 1t does
prove that those who argue against wal
ignore the fact that II is little II any
more destructive of human life than the
daily and necessary work of peace.
-S@o