The sun., 1914-08-16


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Hence, instead of ascertaining the
goods To be- DESTROYED by the present
european war. what We really want
kh"W ~ the additional goods To be a..
S'foNtd during the present conflict over
ana above what would he DESTROYED dur.
ing times OF peace. When ascertaininH
the total goods To he destroyed the fig-
ures are simply stupendous and NAV
approach the five billion mark. but u
We consider only the excess to be de-
stroNed over what would ordinarily he
destroyed in maintaining peace 7 doubt
very much n the loss VIII exceed one
ana one half billions
Although tremendous waste takes
place through the woui.ding of the men.
the killing Of horses and the destruction
Of ammunition. Vet much OF this Is Off
set through the adoption bv the peorIe
al home of habits Of rigid economy. In
single Instances tfese habits seem triv
ial. but in the aggregate they are bound
to have a tremendous effect.
In addition 20 the huge amounts
wasted during times of pePce in prepar-
Ing for war great sums are wasted by
people generally through luxury, idle
ness and I'm other ways. This waste
will be tremendously cut down during
the present conflict. and the savings of
the people will be greatly increased
through such economy and industry.
No one realizes more than I do that
war Is terrible thing and especially
in the incapacita'ing OF men who are
not killed but only wounded. which
really IL the great ecoLomic loss of war
What ! wish to make clear to readers
Is that great az is the wicked waste Of
war in goods destroyed. 1t really Is not
so much greater than the waste in en-
deavoring to maintain peace as prac-
tlsed during the last thirteen years.
or course we should all unite in en-
deavoring to avoid war. but this is only
one step toward the desired goal. In
order appreciably TO lessen the goods
destroyed through European tealouses
we must eliminate the present method
Of maintaining peace. II Is the armed
maintenance Of peace which IL the great
curse.
ON account Of their disgust at this
great waste in maintaining peace I feel
that the nations Of Europe are really
welcoming the present conflict. hoping
that in some way il will bring to an end
or at least limit this tremendous an
nual expense for maintaining armies
and navies. Personally hope that this
will be the result ot the war.
T.. Martens Of Rugby England,
gives some statistics which show the
waste of labor in Europe on maintain
ing ornaments and preparing for war.
In 1913 the war system cost Europe
directly 81 900 900, 600 Moreover. be-
Il, ab, haI
men under arms. These men were nom
productive, paid and fed at the cost
of the others They were not paid
much. to be sure. The salary Of a sol
dier in France is I cent a day for
| three years; but each man loses the
! chance every DAY TO earn 90 cents more.
The nation loses what he might have
| earned.
This contraction OF labor in Europe
during peace" involves a loss of the
| production of serviceable goods amount
ing to $3.50 100000 in 1918. Interest on
war loans foots up yearly sS50,000, 900
more. And pensions amount to $780,
O00,O 900 more The entire sum of s5.-
800, 900 900 is said to be necessary" for
| national defence" defence against
themselves and against each other.
In considering the cost of any war
| think it is very short sighted simply
to consider the value of the worlds
goods destroyed, even 1t looked at in
the broad sense above outlined. War
is the nations method of performing
a surgical operation. The cost OF a
surgical operation is not so much what
we pay the surgeon and the nurse but
4 rather the effect of such an operate
on our future career.
This is the way in which We must
| look at the present European situation.
If after the war these nations are as
far apart as ever and simply again be-
gin to build battleshps, erect fortifira-
tons and drill armies. this ST.. 900 900
a day to which | have referred will Ia
"A distinct loss. When to this In added
all the misery and suffering II must he
considered the most stupendous crime
the civilized world has yet witnessed
If, on the other hand. the war results
in causing such a loss to all nations
involved that they will see the useless
ness of it all and agree on some more