Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-10-08
WAR IS EXPENSIVE

the waste Of international conflict as
the excess of waste in time of war
over that in time of peace. A quanti-
ty b may be deducted from guam
tity "a and the difference will be "a
b. on the supposition, however, that
the quantities are composed of identi-
cal units.
Now, while the same human beings
are concerned both in peace and war,
these two states bear no resemblance
to each other In one, reason and So
Der sense, feeling of safety and de-
sire to do justice prevail; in the other
these beneficial influences are weak
ened, and folly, fear and greed assert
themselves. War changes individuals
as well as values.
"A true appreciation of the enor-
nous losses which are likely to result
from this unprecedented calamity can
only be gained by taking into account
its effect on all phases and conditions
of individual and national existence.
Stated in the order Of their magnitude
these losses may be enumerated as
follows:
First, temporary or permanent
shrinkage of wealth of nations as dis
tinct from negotiable securities. The
total wealth Of the countries involved
is about three hundred billions of dol
lars Assume only a moderate produc-
ticn Of ten per cent and suppose fur
Their that the war should last from six
to seven months or about two hundred
days, as forecast by experts, then the
daily shrinkage will amount to $780,
coo 600. To be sure such depreciation
of physical possessions is mostly due
to ignorance and faintheartedness of
the people, for the properties are there
and some are indestructible. But just
the same the warning nations will lose
credit and purchasing power and will
be subjected for an indefinite period to
sufferings and privations, all of which
must be interpreted as loss of SO much
money.
Second-All losses, individual and
collective, caused by interference of
war with the wheelwork of manufac-
lure, luuuSl1J anu COIuLu6ICG. / lGS6
reflect particularly on the market
value of negotiable securities, which
constitute from twenty to thirty per
cent of the whole national wealth. For
obvious reasons they are apt to be
very large, and the shrinkage may
easily amount for the above period TO
$100,000,000 a day
'Third-Specific losses due to de-
struction of existing private and pub.
lie property, including implements and
materials of war. These will greatly
depend on the circumstances, but NAV
be placed at from fifty to seVenty-fve
million dollars a day
"Fourth-Loss Of life and disabling
through wounds and disease. Judging
from the data OF the Balkan war, the
casualties cannot be taken at less than
fifteen per cent, making the total of
100000 Assuming an average of
$4,000 per individual, this waste will
be nearly fourteen million dollars a
day.
"Fifth-DaiIy cost of military opera-
tons, which may amount from twenty
five to thirty million dollars"
According to this rough estimate the
total waste cannot be much less than
seventy billion dollars, making almost
twenty-five per cent of the total wealth
of the countries il the world. In the
best circumstances it will take from
forty to fifty years to repair the finan-
cial damage, not to speak of the injury
to the races and retardation of social
progress in all directions.