Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1915-10-07
|P'|RoDlCIOUS COST
Of EURoPEANWA
Divine ForesaW Great Conflict
Two Years Ago.
HIS PROPHECY FULFILLED.

Ono Year Has Cost More Than Esti-
mated Value Of All Property Of
United States West Of Mississippi.
Would Pay National Debts Of All
Nations.
Philadelphia.-Tev. DIR. J. Henry
Smythe, editor. author, traveller, lee
turer, chancellor OF the American uni
versity. Tennessee, two years ago last
February made the following startling
prophecy while speaking at Knoxville:
Zone hundred years or more ago Ma.
poleon, in the fiery flush Of manhood's
morning, was master Of oil France.
The Egyptian and the Austrian cam
paigns were over. Russia was invaded.
England was. threatened. Spain was
s%ubjugated.
."The whole continent of Europe was
PROSTATE and paralyzed. Millions of
armed men were In the field, and on
fict and carnage ragged from the Tiber
to the Thames. But Nelson pounded
Napoleon on the sea. and Wellington
pounded him upon the land, and to-
gether they pounded him to pieces.
Elba and Waterloo were but the blood
stained stepping stones to St. Helena.
III you will stand with me tonight
at the hinges Of history and look along
the sky line OF current events you will
see that war is simmering In every
arsenal OF Europe and every wave that
breaks upon the shore Is red with
blood. Yet Tientsin and Port Arthur,
Havana harbor and Manila bay were
but the shifting scenery, moved by the
hidden hand Of God. In the awful and
amending tragedy OF time"
I'VE estimate the cash cost of the
European war to Aug. I, 1915, at ST.
0O0,000,O00," says DR.. Smythe, while
other known losses will amount up to
make a grand total Of $40, 900, O0O 900.
No II can have even the faintest con
ception of what $48,O 10000 may be.
It Is four times all the coin in the
world. II this sun We're measured out
IN twenty dollar gold pieces and they
were placed side by side on the rail
way track, on each rail, they would
cover with gold every line from New
York to the Pacific ocean, the two
Canadian lines included. There would
be enough left over to cover each rail
OF the Siberian railway from Vladivos-
tOk to Petrograd. There would still
remuin sufficient to rehabilitate Bel
gium and to buy the whole OF Turkey,
ct her own valuation, wiping her finally
and forever from the map.
"Or we may figure In some other
fashion. The average workingman in
America earns $51S per year. 1t would
take 100000 years work to pay the
cost Of the war up to date, or 90,OOO,OOO
American laborers might pay 1t off in
one year Il all their living expenses
were paid.
The cost Of a year Of the great war
ID "a little more than the estimated
value OF all the property of the United
States west OF the Mississippi river.
II Is nearly equal to the total value of
all the property In Germany, $49.OOO,-
100000, as estimated in 1906. The
whole Russian empire, $35, ZOO, coo, 600,
could have been bought for less sum
\ before the war began. It could be had,
on q spot cash sale, more cheaply now.
This sum would have paid for MI
tho property In Italy, $13,OO0,OOO,OOO;
Japan, $1O,OOO.OOO.OOO; Holland, $1,000
100000; Belgium, $7,0OO.O0O,OOO; Spain,
9aO00.OOOsOOO. and Portugal, $2,5OO,OO0,-
600. tits three times the entire yearly
earnings IN wages and salaries Of the
people Of the United States. $780,
100000.
The first pears cost OF this war
Would pay the national debts Of all the
nations lii the world at the time the
war broke out. II all the farms, farm
Ing lands and factories In the United
6tates were wiped out Of existence the
cost az this war would more than re-
place them. If all the personal and
realsproperty of half our nation were
dsstr0yed or II an earthquake Of In
credible dimensions should shake down
every house from the Atlantic to the
pacifc the waste would be less than
Tint involved IN this war up to date.
Ard such nj elemental catastrophe
Noald leayeSbehind Il no costly legacy
oIhate.
And then The aftermath-good God,
laftermathiy