Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1914-08-25
WAR WILL COST
 S70,0O0,0OO,0O0 This Is Estimate of Euro pean Conflagration by
 Inventor.
IA WORLDS WEALTH
Military Operations Alone Costing $3O, ,GOO, ,0OO Daily, While Property Destroyed Daily Valued at
 $75,OOO,0OO.

New York, Aug. 24.-Taking issue
 with other statisticians more moder- ate in their estimates, Nikola Tesla, the famous inventor of electrical con- trivances, said today the total cost of the general war now going on probably will not be Jess than $70,- O0O, O,00O,00O.
 'The present war may easily ln- volve 20,000,000 combatants," said MT. | Tesla. "I have seen an estimate of total cost of $50,O00,000 a day. This too low. The number of those dis abled through wounds and disease was
 recently placed at 500,O00. This, also is too moderate. It would be less than two and one half per cent, and | it must be remembered that in the most recent great war preceding this, the Balkan struggle, the casualties
 were ten times greater, or twenty l five per cent
 1 Observe that it is reported Bel gium lost $300,000,000 in two weeks fighting while there were no large
 cities in the path of the Germans.
 "The difficulty with most statisti- clans of war losses is that they sim 1 ply consider the cost of military opera
 tions. This is small fraction of the whole waste. tE14
 "To measure the losses the losses due to war merely by statistical
 standards is absurd. An example
 will make this clear. The strain inn
 posed upon a country in state of
 siege is compelling a strict economy
 The savings thus affected go to Off
 set the drain of war. Theoretically it is possible for a nation, by living
 on bread and water and curtailing all
 expenses, to accumulate enough TOT
 not only meeting the cost of military
 operations but leaving surplus be-
 sides. From the point of view of the
 statistician such war, far iron
 of creating wealth.
 "It is equally unreasonable to de-
 fine the waste of international con-
 flict as the excess of waste in time
 of war over that in time of peace. A
 quantity "b'' may be deducted from
 a quantity "A" and the difference will be "a-b" on the supposition
 however, that the quantities are composed of identical unites.
 "Now. while the same human
 beings are concerned both in peace
 and war, these two states bear nc resemblance to each other. In one reason and sober sence, a feeling O. safety and desire to do justice pre- vail; in the other these beneficial in
 fluenCe. are weakened, and folly, 1e, : and greed assert themselves. Wal changes individuals as well as values "A true appreciation of the enor
 nous losses which are likely to re sut from this unprecedented calamit! can only be gained by taking int
 account it's effect on all phases ant conditions of individual and nationa existence. Stated in the order of thei l magp 'tude these losses may be enum erated as follows:
 First, temporary of permanen . shrinkage of wealth of nations a D distinct from negotiable securities - The total wealth of the countries in
 volved is about three hundred bil lions of dc lars. Assume only mod crate production of ten per cent an suppose further that tine war shoul , last from six to seven months o ' about 200 days, as forecast by eX
 perts, then the daily shrinkage wil
 amount to $150,O00.00O. To be sur such depreciation of physical posses sions is mostly due to ignorance am : faint heartedness of the people, fo ), the properties are thede and som are indestructible. But just the sam
 the warning nations will lose credi and purchasing power and will b
 subjected for an indefinite period t
 5ufferings and privations, all o : which must be interpreted as loss 0 !. so much money.
 Losses in Industrial Pursuits. : "Second-All losses, individual an, collective. caused by interference 0
 war with the wheel-work of manu facture, industry and commerce These refle@t particularly on thu market value of negotiable securi
 ties, which constitute from twenty tt
 thirty per cent of the whole nation s'l wealth. For obvious reasons they are apt to be very large, and tn,
 shrnkage may easily amount for thu above period to $100.000.OOO day. :, "Third-Specific losses due to de SUI uCtloh Oi CAioeiHS pTlVatc anu puu lie property. including implements and materials of war. These vii greatly depend on the circumstances but may be placed at from $o0,0O0, ,00( to $75.000.000 day
 "Four-Loss of life and disabling
 through wounds and disease. Judging
 from the data of the Balkan war, tn.
 causualties cannot be taken at lesi y than fifteen yer cent, making thu : total of S,O0O.O00. Assuming, al e average of $2,500 per individual, thi : waste will be nearly t$14,0OO,0OO <; r day.
 5 "Fifth-Daily cost of militar! t operations, which may amount iron t 25,000.0O0 to $30,000,0O0"
 el According to this rough estimate : the total waste cannot be much less %1,n