Omaha daily bee., 1906-11-11
STAGGERING COST OF PEACE
Vast Sums Expended in Maintaining
Armies and Eaviea
EVERY YEAR ADDS TO THE LOAD
Preparedness for war Costs Eight OF
Principal Powers over q BiIliOn
DOllars--COntrnsts I'm Big
Figures.
EVERY YEAR ADDS TO THE LOAD

Ftguree.
The costliest blessing that the world en-
joys is--Peace,
No person, knows what the various ma
tons OF the earth, constantly cycling each
other in watchful suspicion, like bulldogs
in leash, pay for the maintenance Of peace
through preparation OF war. There are
sources Of great expenditure that are not
publicly known. But for their armies and
navies alone eight Of the principal powers
are spending this year the enormous total
OF 1889, $50, 374
It Is dlflcult to grasp the meaning Of such
gigantic figures. Diverted to the chan
nels Of commerce, one years cost Of peace
would build the Panama canal 1--WE times
over, with enough left to operate the water
way nearly seventy years
At the average income Of an American
family this amount would support for the
year almost the combined population OF
Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, or OF New
York and South Carolina; II would keep in
much greater comfort than they now en-
Joy the combined population of the Neither
lands and Norway or of Belgium and
Greece.
For the education OF their children and
the development OF agriculture-the great
est safeguards Of future peace-seven Of
these eight nations spend in the eggregate
something more than one-third the cost OF
the armies and navies, or $751;. 16S,0is.
Staggering under this enormous load, the
world is continually adding to 1t. Each
year witnesses a greater demand for the
armament OF nations. In 1890 only sixteen
years ago, the total was S7S6 SIS, $50. Today
It is nearly twice that gigantic sum. At
the present rate Of increase Europe alone,
ten years from now, II is estimated, will
be spending $4,000, 100000 to preserve its
peace and insure seeming good will among
men.
Burdens of France.
"In 1865" states French authority, the
military budget Of Europe was represented
by ST., 900 900; in 1886 It was 900; in
1906 It was nearly 3,5OOOOO.OOO.
Should It continue to increase at the
present rate, in 1915 II will be 50, 5000 900,
and in 1916 1t viii amount to Ss,JOo.OOO 900.
which will mean national annihi,ation. for
Europe. as the resources Of the people will
not increase in proportion"
This striving to keep its head above water
as principal power Of the earth is respon-
sible for the terrific debt Of France
amounting to nearly 5000, 100000. The i'm
mensity Of this sum is difficult to grasp.
The authority quoted above states that II
It were converted into 1OO-sou pieces-a sou
is about one cent-there would be needed
to carry it 62,OOO cars, heavily laden, and
drawn by three horses each
But with its continental neighbors and
England constantly adding to their navies
and the efficiency of their armies, France
must do likewise Her greatest strain has
been in maintaining her place as the sec
end naval power. In 1890 she spent 49,,
2O7, $50 upon marine protection; eight years
later this drain on her purse had grown to
$57, 1891, 1888. and the present year witnessed a
demand for se5.OO7.44s.
Germany has been ever more lavish In
her orders for new vessels and equipments
and in maintaining the navy. In 1890 her
naval budget was $S,65S, 40; in 1898 1t had
jumped to 500. 2ss,O92 and last year was $780,
216,s16.
Navy Boosters.
| In England, France Italy and Spain are
naval leagues working with the same object
in view, and educating the people to a
realization of the fact that greater national
efforts must be made each year to insure
peace by being prepared for war.
! 1t would scarcely seem necessary for the
labors Of such a league in England but for
the fact that the people OF the tight little
isle are groaning more and more each year
under their increased burden. England
persists in the belief that In order TO pro-
tect herself and her possessions she must
be equal in naval strength to any other
two nations-not counting the United
States as a possible antagonist.
England's navy in 1890 cost $6S, 10000 In
1898 she had increased this expenditure to
lSlA25O,O0O, and this year the total will
reach S175.S90sS5.
These three nations-England, Germany
and France-lead the European powers in
expenditure for naval purposes Italy.
pinched by the necessities OF her large
army, spends practically the same this
year as sixteen years ago. and, in fact is
not spending more upon her field forces.
Confronted by the necessity for virtually
rebuilding her navy. which was shattered
by the japanese, Russia has not yet
worked out the problem to her satisfaction
and her present naval budget is not as
large as she will probably see It in a few
years. II amounts now to So, 0S9 7O3 grow
ing to that figure from $S4.59O,76 100 In 1886
and S21,975,715 In 1890.
Japan, spurred by her comparatively new
dignity as a world power and despite the
fact that her inheritance from the late
unpleasantness with Russia included
| nuAllbcE VI AA1 Ne5oCA1t ANSAo hARSAANh -
enter upon an extensive shipbuildlng pro
gram.
It is proposed to spend 900 during
the next eight years for naval expansion
in addition to the regular cost of main
tenanoe.
BY no means a laggard in the race Of
money spending. the United States has
opened the eyes Of the world during this
, last sixteen years by its energetic pro
gram OF navy building. The growth Of it,
naval policy is shown by figures: For 1880
SIS SAL $50 appropriated; for 1898. $685. s6s
for 1906 Slis.OO0OOO. Gigantic strides. truly
Cost of Armies.
} While the cost OF maintaining theil
armies is also a heavy burden. making, IL
most instances, a greater financial demanC
upon national treasures than navies. 4
: has not advanced in as marked a manne
as the cost OF navies.
Most nations in times Of peace maintaii
their armies upon a certain level as re
CARDS strength. While the expense o.
/ A. aunrrnnua doae NOT ehov