Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1915-01-14
HEAVY COST Of WAR
Past Conflicts Were Big Drag on
Uncle Sans Purse.
Sixty Per Cent Of Appropriations is
for Debts Growing Out of Past
Wars and for Maintenance of
Army and Navy.
BY EDWARD 3. CLARK.
(Staff Correspondent Western NewspaI
Union.)

Cstaf Correspondent Western Newspaper
Union.)
Washington.-Abou sixty per cent
of the total appropriations of money
authorized by congress and to be paid
out of the purses of the people is for
payments Of debts growing out of past
wars and for the payment of bills
contracted for in the maintenance of
military and naval forces for defensive
or offensive purposes in wars of the
future. If 145 years ago the nations
Of the world had laid down their arms
for all time it would cost the United
States government today only half the
sum which it is necessary to appro-
pirate to run the country.
In the course of the present fiscal
year 1914-15, the United States will
spend for war purposes sos, 1882, 190
Have the people a right to know if
this enormous sum is being spent to
the best advantage? In other words,
have they a right to know whether
| our army and navy are at the highest
point of efficiency possible to obtain
| through proper expenditure of such a
huge SUN Ol money
When it is said that more than a
half billion dollars is being spent this
year for war purposes it must be ex-
planned that a little more than two
hundred million dollars of this sum is
on account Of wars that are past. The
full amount, however, represents what
war has done to Uncle Sans purse
and what a possibility of war is still
doing to it. The expenditures are re-
| garded by the lawmakers as neces-
sary. An inquiry into our military
preparedness probably would help to
answer the question.
The payments made necessary by
the wars Of the past are for pensions,
retired pay and support of homes for
veterans and for other kindred pur-
poses. During the present year the
! pensions, the payments to retired sol
diers and the support of veteran
homes will cost the United States
| s186,697,951 The interest on war
! debts, the sinking fund provisions for
| these debts, trust funds established by
war requirements and special funds
! and accounts for war purposes amount
| to $57, 900, 900, so that we have a grand
| total Of payments on account of wars
| that are past amounting to $245, 000,-
| 900.
This year we are spending for land
and sea defenSes, a term which in
cludes the support of soldiers, sailors
and ships, about 1855, 1000. To this
| must be added all the expenses of the
| administration of the war and navy
department offices, including the office
of insular affairs. The total reaches
! into the millions.
! The total as given for war purposes,
! 5000, 1890, does not include money
! which must be spent for general ad-
| ministratiVe purposes, the legislative,
! executive and judiciary. The fact
| that we have an army and navy neces-
states greater appropriations for
these branches of the government, be-
! cause their functions and expenses
are increased by the fact that we
| have military and naval establish
| ments. So it is that the money which
! is spent by the United States every
year because of the necessities which
/ are the outgTowth of wars or of a
possibility Of war exceeds the amount
Of money spent for civil or for what
/ properly may be called peace pur-
! poses.
Men in Washington, who have made
a study of the military problems of
the government, say that it is mis-
| take to think that preparedness bears
no relation to the burden of expenses
which has been put upon this country
| by the wars of the past. It is urged
! that if the United States had been
! prepared properly even for the small
war with Spain, that the present cost
/ of that conflict would be nothing like
as great as it is.
Men suffered in the campaigns of
/ 1898 who ought not to have suffered
| at all The suferings produced last
ing physical ailments for which they
are drawing pensions today. Accord
! BnY STARS MOTHER I'M PLAY