Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-12-08
Premier Asquith Estimates the
Daily Cost of War at
Five Millions
IBy Latest MALL

lby Latest MALL
LONDON. Eng-The meetings oil
the House of Commons today was en-
tirely devoted to war measures and
without partisan politics.
Premier Asquith requested a vote OF
I.l25 ,000, 900 and another for 1000.
900 soldiers, both Of which the House
granted without a dissenting voice.
| Tho sum voted today with $500. 900 ;.
600 granted In August Is equivalent to
An increase OF more tnan 80 per cent
OF the national debt
The Prime Minister CharaCteriZes
the crisis as the greatest emergency
in which the country has ever been
placed" He said there were already
under arms 1,200,vv0 men: that the
! war was costing nearly $4,000, 900 a
; day and that the government proposed
to lend Belgium $5O,vUU,UGO and Ser
via $4.000,0O0, without interest until
the end Of the war.
s5eo, COO, 600 Already Spent.
The Premier said that the largest
portion of the $500. 00V 200 already had
been expended in the conduct of mill
/ tary operations, loans to the allies and
disbursements to secure food supplies
for this couRtry.
The expenditure for sugar which has
been exceptionally large, the Premier
said, would be recouped ultimately to
the eXcehquer. considerable sum
has been spent to obtain control of
the railroads to the government, and
the expenditure included provisions
for the refugees.
With regard to the purpose of the
new credit, the far greater bulk of
this would be for army and navy ex-
Ipenditures, Mr.. Asquith said The
civil expenditures were inconsiderable,
and they would be largely for the pur-
pose of securing food supplies and for
further commodities necessary for the.
British, the use of which must be made
impossible for the enemy. Another
large item was made up of the loans
Iof money to. others, amounting to
a43, 000,0 900 {$215, 000,0 The prin-
cipal items IN this list were to the Bel
gian and Servian governments. Other
loans to the, self-governing dominions
of Canada, South Africa, Australia, an6
New Zealand, which under ordinary
circumstances would be compelled to
borrow IN the London market, would
account for 6 80, 100000 ($151 ,25O,00O
of the new credit, for the reason that
the government has undertaken the
responsibility of raising loans for these
dominions. IL
Gives Daily Cost Figures.
! De- he - he DYn-
mier Asquith said that up to the last
Saturday the actual additional expen-
ditures falling upon the 'exchequer
amounted to between 900, 900 pounds
GA, 100000 and 100000 pounds
.ts5, 0B0, 008j, a day. Having regard for
the enormous scale of the operations
and other considerations, this sum, the
Premier said, did not exceed the es-
innate of expenditures that might reas-
enable have been expected.
The Premier added that he could
hold cut no hope that these expendi-
lures were likely to be diminished
The present measure carries proyi-
sions to March 81, which would not
only satisfy the calculations based on
experience but would leave in hand
a reasonable margin. NJ
The proposition OF granting loans
to Bsislnru, and SerEia was Endorsed
by Timothy nsoly, Irish Nationalist,
who said that the money should be
given them. .; -.
John Hodge, the Labor Iie-aber for |
Lancashire, Endorsed the proposal " IN. !
the suggestion, Later we can collect |
it from the German Emperor"
Reginald Menenna, secretary for
Home Affairs, informed the House that
there were 1890 alien enemies in the
concentration camps in the British
Isles, and 5000 at large. /
Walter Hume Long, Unionist, said
hat the country is not likely to be
laced with the stupendous problems
# unemployment which might natural
y have been 3eypec; ed, and he believ-
I'd all the men needed would be forth
ming because the spirit of the country
was so magnificent. |
He Congratulated the government
IN behalf OF the opposition, on its
'steadfast determination to carry the
var to a successful conclusion"
Mr.. Long, Mr.. Healy and Lord
Charles BeFesford discussed the ques-
ion of publicity and urged that the
country should be given fuller details
If the achievement Of the troops In
he field.
Proposes Ban on Liquor.