The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-10-21
how WAR PAYS ITS owNwAy

Russia is about prohibiting impor-
tation of a great number Of articles,
some of which would be classed as
luxrries and some as necessaries.
Great Britain long ago began prun-
ing down it's lists of articles adj
missible to the country, aiming par
ticularly to restrict the expenditure
of money for things not really neces-
sary.
When it comes to making up such
list, the question is at once raised,
what is luxury and what neces-
sary? The Russian prohibited list,
effective yesterday, is given thus:
Fresh vegetables and fruits (ex-
cept lemons). preserved foods, mus
tard and sauces. pickles. etc, tobac-
CO. cigars and cigarettes; biscuits.
and berries; hops, spirits. beer.
wines and liquors, mineral waters
(other than medicinal waters);
cheese. fish. feathers and down; pat
ent leather. certain fur skins;
leather, including sporting goods;
certain articles OF wood and basket
ware, precious stones, certain build
ing stones. certain kinds of pottery
features OF gold. silver. and .plati-
mum; certain manufactures OF cop
per and alloys OF copper. cutlery ar
ticles with expensive mountings,
tioles of cardboard. cotton, velvet
and plush, fabric OF silk and half
silk, certain felt goods. carpets,
certain knit goods and trimmings.
tulle. lace and manufactures of lace.
embroideries and embroidered fab
RIGS. clothing and underwear. won.
ems hats, fur caps. umbrellas and
parasols, toys. expensive fancy and
toilet articles In general
It is widely different from the
British lists, because the two peo-
pies are different and their abilities
to supply substitutes, by home in
dustry, for articles heretofore i'm
ported, very widely.
These prohibitions of unnecessary
importations indicate how war is
made to pay its own way. The truth
is that the terrific cost of war is
never so terrific as the statisticians
are able to make it look, because
economies are enforced that pay
much of the bill as the conflict goes
along. A business man who came
over from England and France few
days ago, having been on the other
side for three years, declared that
Everybody in both countries is max
ing money hand over fist" OF
course, that didn't include the SOL
diers in the trenches; but it was
made SO sweeping as to include
about everybody else. He said:
War taxation is terrific. First and
have most; they have to give up
largely OF their incomes. II forces
great numbers. especially In Eng
land, to become producers for the
first time. England is a country
with a great leisure class; people
who have accumulated enough TO be
able TO live without work. and VINO
promptly quit working. They are
working again. There is work for
and women alike. The government
restricts the list of things on which
they may spend their earnings: 30
there Is an excess; and taxation
reaches out ana series TINS excess
for the public treasury. But the
great majority Of people are better
of than ever before: the wealthy
minority Is hard up for the time be-
ing. In the rather easy way that
wealth Is impoverished In such con-
'ditions. But the economies OF the
war. plus the expansion OF trade in
new fields. the immense earnings of
the merchant marine. and so on,
make the economic situation alto
gether different from what might be