The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1914-08-24
ONE-HALF THE
WORLD AT WAR
SiatistiCian's Figures Give an
Idea What That Means.
A PARADE 1887 MILES LONG
Would Extend From New York to San
Franoiseo-Little Room on Manhst-
tan island, 2f.s3 Square Miles, Were
20,00o.ooo Men Placed There-Need
100000 Pounds OF Food Daily.

With approximately 20U0O.0o0 men
under arms IN Europe, representing ma
lions the areas OF whose countries ex
ceed one-haif of the area of the globe.
statisticians are figuring out various
complex yet interesting conditions
which the mobilization of SO vast a
body of men In time OF war necessarily
creates. The war now in progress be-
ing one of the greatest In history. 1t
follows naturally that In comparison
with the data of the past the present
computations rise to heights beyond the
comprehension of the average person.
After making various calculations.
based upon facts and figures connected
with the current war. a statistieian
said ia the New York Herald that III
the armies OF Germany. France. Aus
tria. Russia. England. Seryia. Montene-
gro Belgium aud Italy. numbering 20
0O0.oo0 men. were to be deposited upon
the island OF Manhattan there would
he little room for the millions now &C
cupying that island.
Manhattan has an area OF 2l.92
square miles" he said. 'This repre-
SCENTS roughly. based upon an area OF
twenty-five square miles. 505. 524.S0
suuslre feet of territory. Allowing a
space OF four square feet for each sol
dier. the European armies now In the
held would take up every inch Of Man
haitian from the Battery to a point be-
yond One Hundred and FiftIeth street.
Would Almost Encircle Globe.
should they lie mt full length. allow
Ing six feet for each man. the line OF
sleeping soldiers would extend a dis
lance of l20.OO0.o00 feet. or 22.72S
miles. Such a line of human beings
would almost encircle the globe"
The statistician said further that the
transportation OF such an army of men
cfo the Atlantic would require $50
steamships the size OF the Vaterland.
The ordinary man OF sound appetite
about two and one-half
pounds OF food every day. so that the
men under arms in Europe consume
5o.0o0oo0 pounds, or $4,000 tons daily.
The clothing for 20.000.Oo0 men. al
lowing three yards for each mans uni
form. would represent o .o00.000 yards
OF cloth. Sewed end for end together
this strip Of cloth would cover a dis
tance OF $1,000 miles. or one and one
half times the circumference of the
earth. The buttons for these uniforms
would weigh about 1000 tons.
Need $1,000 Tons a Day.
Each soldier consumes about m and
one-half pounds of meat a day. provid-
ed IL is apportioned on this liberal basis
by the various commissary depart
ments OF the respective armies. This
would mean the consumption OF 80
100000 pounds. or 1900 tons. To sup
ply this food more than $4,000 cattle
would be required. The hides so OBJ
talned would. If converted into shoes
for this vast army. provide shoes for
fewer than 100000 men for one year.
and shoes for 20.OOO.OO0 would take
more cattle than could be housed In the
stockyards in Chicago IL they were
twenty times as big al their present
size.
Few realize what . tremendous spec
tscle 20l0Q00Q0 men would mAka Il