Semi-weekly herald. [volume] (Durango, Colo.) 1907-1917, 1915-08-09
COST OF THE FIRST YEAR OF
WAR

In reviewing the cost of the Eu-
ropean war to date, just year since
the conflagration began, the Chicago
Tribune gives figures that are appai-
ing. The best information obtainable
fixes the dead at 100000 the injured
at 8,500,000 and the prisoners at about
100000. More than 15,000,0O0 men
have been retired from the honorable
pursuits OF life by the terrible carnage.
This staggering total represents al
most as much as one-sixth of the en-
tire population of the United States.
And yet these same statisticians tell
US that 22,000,000 men are still arm
ed and awaiting death, injury or cap
ture, and it is unthinzable what the
awful total of casualties in this world
conflagration may be. Told in terms
of gold the cost of the war TO date
is figured at Sl6,000,000 900 or more
than $1,000 in money for every man
retired by the exigencies of warfare.
The Tribune estimates that the allies
have l2,000,000 men in the field and
the Germans and Austrians have
l0,000,000. The French and Germans
and Austrians are estimated to be
nearer their full quota of fighting
men at the front than either Russia
or Great Britain. One authority
says that Russia now has 100000
men under arms but that she has a
reserve of 14,000,000 yet available
for service. Great Britain has 1,500,
600 men in line and 100000 enlist
ed and ready to start for the fronts
within few months. France has put
between IL and IL per cent of her
population into the fighting fields
and Germany about 10 per cent. Aus
ira has only about z per cent of her
population under arms but the
archy that it will probably not be
possible to increase this percentage.
Lack of union spirit among the sub
ieets Of Franz Josef makes an en-
iistment of 10 to IL per cent Of the
population almost impossible. On the
other hand Germany and France
have been ready from tho start to
put every available man under arms.
England has been slow in getting her
men in action but England is now
thoroly aroused to the fact that the
loss of this war probably means her
downfall as a commanding nation and
troops will be poured in by the
millions from the Britiah Isles and
and from the colonies. In the mat
ter of men it would appear that the
resources of the allies may be in
creased as the months go by in every
nation save France, while the Teu-
tonic allies cannot long rceoup the
losses in battle. Hence it seems
very important to the casual obser-
yer for the Teutons to strike hard now
if they are to win. Certainly a long
war is more likely TO mean the sue
cess of the allies than the Germans.
But the Germans are in better fight
ing trim now on every front and
they may be able to win before the
allies can get their cumbersome and
many-headed organizations into good
working order.
There are no war figures in all time
with which anything like with which
anything like an equal comparison
can be made, to the losses of the
present conflict. Great battles of
history dim into insignificance when
their totals of dead and wounded are
compared to those of even minor en-
gagement of today. If this were the
end all figures on war slaughter
would have been outclassed. And
there are those who believe that the