The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1914-09-03
COST OF WAR

orK herald Is costing the Nations
involved total of $50.O0O,00O a
day, and these estimates take no ac-
count of the cost in human lives.
1t goes on to say that the destruc-
ton OF property of all kinds located
In the pathway of contending arm
les. not to speak of the destruction
of costly warships, will foot up
high in The billions, but how high
even the most imaginative expert
refuses to venture an opinion.
All agree. according to the New
York Herald, that when peace is
declared and the figures are all in,
the result financially will be stagger.
ing, and that the heaviest burden it
has ever borne will rest on Europe
for fifty years.
The loss of untold thousands of
lives of young men who are needed
in the fields and workshops of Ger
many, France, Austria. Russia and
Great Britain, the nations engaged
in the greatest war in history, will
be equivalent, experts say, to the
loss of billions of money in the Grip
ping of industries all over Europe.
The destruction Of property of all
kinds located in the pathway of the
contending armies. not to speak of
the destruction of warships, will
foot up high in the billions.
When it is considered that in thir-
teen years the cost of maintenance
OF the armies and navies of the coun-
tries at war, as well as the cost of
naval construction. has exceeded
$40, 900, 100000 some idea may be
had of the expense attached to war,
and the preparations of European
countries for just such contingencies
as arose In Europe. The cost of the
Panama canal was approximately
1910, 100000, but the expense of
preparations for war in Europe dur
ing the time it took to build the
canal exceeded the cost of this gi-
gantic undertaking nearly sixty to
one.
The wealth of the five nations at
war is estimated at 1910 900 600, 900
and in thirteen years the cost of
maintenance of armies and navies,
naval construction and the like ex-
ceeded $2O,O0O,O00,OO0, or about
Ii per cent of the total wealth of
the countries involved.
England's navy of $40 warships
was built up at cost OF many billion
Of dollars. Naval construction in
the last twenty-five years has under
gone sweeping revolutions, so that
year by year the British government
was compelled to replace it's obsolete
warshlps with machines which en-
braced all the latest ideas suggested
by experience and approved by the
naval experts"
In the Franco russian war in
1S7O-1S71, it cost France $2l 900
for every German killed.
In the Russo-Turkish war in 1877
1878, it cost the Turks $4,000 for
every Russian killed.
In the Russo japanese war, 1905,
it cost the Russians $40, 400 for
every Jap who was killed.
These figures are given by Gener-
al Percin of the French army who
says:
The cost of killing a man is OBJ
tanned by dividing the total cost of
a war to any of the belligerents by
the number of men killed on the
other side.
In 1870-187l France spent $780,
100000 in the actual expenses of
the war. Repairing materials and
giving succor to the victims of the
war expenses that are justly to be
added cost another 100000, 900.
France paid 100000, 900 as war
indemnity. plus another $4O0. O0O, 900
in interest On the sum, loss of reve-
nue., forced contributions by the en-
envy and upkeep of the German
army of occupation. This third cat
CORY of expenses not being newt
able in all wars, cannot properly be
included.
On a similar basis here are some
facts about other wars:
Russo-Turkish war, 1S77-1878-
Turkey, $500 900. 900.
Russo-Japanese war, 1905 Rus
STA. 81 200, 100000.
The number of men killed or
who died of wounds IN these wars
were:
Franco Prussian war-Germans,
28,6OO.
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