The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-11-02


For three years we have had the
greatest crops in our history. Did the
! European war increase the productive
| ity Of our soil? Railroad earnings
have exceeded every previous record.
| Did the European war increase the
volume of traffic except for the rela-
| lively small tonnage of munitions fur
nished principally by plants near the
Atlantic seaboard? The Ford Auto
mobile Company never built and sold
! as many automobiles as in the last
year. This company is 10000 cars be-
hind it's orders and it has never TAX
en- a war order. Did the European
war bring prosperity to Ford and his
workmen? Wages throughout the
land in every line Of business having
nothing to do with war orders are
the, highest ever known. How did the
| European war produce that prosper
ity? Deposits in our banks increas-
| ed during the past three years $685.
100000, and these increases are not
shown in cities alone where war or
ders are taken but are distributed
| throughout the length and breadth of
the land. The resources of our
banks have increased 100000 in
the. past three years.
But the most conclusive and signi-
ficant facts are shown by the figures
of our domestic and foreign trade.
The New York Annalist says that
our "Home Commerce" or domestic
trade amounts to about 507 billion
dollars per year. Our total export
trade, including all munitions of war
of every direct and collateral sort, to
all the belligerent and neutral nations
Of the world, for the fiscal year end
ing June 80, 1916, amounted to $4,-
272, O00,OO0-or about eight-tenths
(8-10) Of one per cent only, of our
total domestic trade-a percentage so
small that it is almost negligible. But
the government figures show that the
total amount of exports of war NUM-
tons, including actual munitions such
as explosives, guns, cartridges, etc.,
and also what may be called secon-
Diary munitions such as horses, mules,
automobiles, aeroplanes, boots, shoes,
saddles, harness, wool clothing and
blankets, brass, copper, lead, zinc in
pigs, bars and other manufactures, for
the fiscal year ended June 80, 1916,
amounted to a total of $93O,00O, 900 in
round figures.
This is less than two-tenths (2-10)
Of one per. cent of our total domestic
trade.
Some economists say that our total
domestic trade, excluding successive
turnovers as the Annalist figures in
dictate, and basing it upon the total
Of our home production and one turn
over, representing consumption,
amounts to 100 billion dollars per
annum.
On this basis our exports of war
munitions of all kinds for the fiscal
year ended June 80, 1916 .($930,000,-
000), amounts to less than one Cd
per cent of our domestic trade!
How indefensible it is for any re-
putable man to say that our prosper
ity rests upon war orders. 1t is DELHI
crate misrepresentation.
When peace comes and war orders
cease, the process will be gradual. We
shall undoubtedly be called upon for
other supplies to help restore the de-
struction of war. in Europe that will
more than offset the loss of war or
ders. We shall also regain our trade
with the Teutonic allies, now wholly
suspended and amounting to All mil
lion dollars per annum.
What of Europe? How formidable
will she be as competitor when
peace comes?
It is a sad picture. There are now
25 million men under arms in Eu- |,
rope slaughtering and Gripping each
other by the thousands every day. |
Back of these vast armies and in or
der to support them in the field, are
the remainder of the population in |
each country engaged in the produe- |
ton Of what? The munitions and
supplies upon which the very exist
ence of these vast armies and the
lives of these nations depend. Every |
industry and every energy Of their
people have been reorganized and re-
directed for destructive purposes.
The claim that they are accumulat-
ing great stores of goods to dump in
our markets or any other markets af- +
ter the war has no support in truth or
fact The belligerent nations have
neither time, raw materials, supplies
or surplus labor for such work nor
have they the capital to invest in such
commercial operations They are
straining their credit to the limit to
carry on the war. On the return of
peace they must reorganize and redi
rect their industries for commerce at
great cost and much delay. Millions
of their skilled laborers have been
killed. 1t takes years to grow men
and make skilled workmen out Of
them Many more millions of their
men are invalids for life from wounds
and sickness; millions will be hopeless
cripples and charges upon the state.
Other millions of widows and orphans
must be cared for by their Govern
ments. 1t is estimated that the num-
Der of killed, wounded and missing
has already reached the appalling to-
tai of 18,500,000 men. The waste and
destruction Of war-prodigious beyond
imagination - must be overcome
Meanwhile each be1ligerent is piling
up colossal debts, the interest alone
upon which will prove fearful bur-
den The national debt Of Great Brit
ain at last reports was in the neigh
borhood of Is billion dollars. At 4
per cent. interest, the annual pay
ment on this vast debt will be $780,
O00,000! To this must be added the
cost of government, maintenance of
armies, navies, coast defenses, public
works, etc. Germany, France, Aus
tria, all of them, must face like con- &
ditions. A terrible burden of taxa
ton must be borne and it will, of
course, be a material factor in the cost
of production. 1t is a gloomy picture.
1t touches the heart of humanity. 1t
should evoke the best instincts of our
race to help those stricken peoples
Civ |