West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1916-06-15

There is no question that Secretary
of Commerce Rodneld was ultra con-
sorvativo in his statement of facts
when, In letter TO Assistant Secre-
tary OF the Treasury Malburn, he said
the war business OF this country is
less than per cent OF the total.
The total domestic business OF the
United States in 1916 easily will reach
$42 900 100000.
The manufactured product alone
VIII reach value of $50, ZOO. .OO0, 900.
The agricultural product which does
not pass through process of manufac-
tuFc will approximate in value $1,000
100000.
The product of the mines, such as
coal, natural gas, building stone, sand
and gravel, which does not 20 through
the manufacturing process, Will ap-
proximate $4,000, 100000.
There is fully $4,000 GOO 600 worth
of manufactures produced outside OF
the industrial centers and the largo
plants covered by the census OF manu-
facturcs in small shops and homes
and In villages and hamlets-not in
cludod in the above $4,000. 600 900 to-
| tails.
There is $1,000, 100000 worth OF un-
manufactured products exported.
There is another $1,0O,0 ,00O,O 900 worth
OF miscellaneous production, including
the unmanufactured portion OF the
forestry and fishery product.
So we have $4,000 900, 900 to S45.-
OOO,000,0OO worth OF commodities al
together not including earnings of
railways, banks, wholesale and retail
mercantile houses, insurance, shipping
and so on, which make total annual
income approximating in this year OF
record prosperity not less than $780,
0OO,OOO,OOO
The above Is rough estimate OF the
total business OF the country.
What is the volume OF war busi-
ness?
| There are two senses I'm which the
term war business" may be taken.
First, there is the munition business
exclusively This, though large as
compared with it's former peace total,
Is scarcely a drop In the bucket as
compared with the country's business
total
For the entire twelve months of the
nnkun In d
exports OF explosives and fire arms
amounted to $4,000. 900, or 6 per cent
Of the entire $500 10000 OF exports
during that period.
For the single calendar year 1915
exports of explosives and fire arms to-
tailed approximately 5000, 1000 900. For
the sake of argument let us suppose
that munition exports I'm 1916 reach
$500. 100000.
This is less than three-fourths OF 1
per cent Of the country's total produc-
tion of commodities aggregating $42,-
O0O, 100000.
However the term war businessr
Is much broader, in the sense used by
Secretary Redneld, than "munitlon
business" II includes all supplies
used for war purposes, including
leather and wool goods, chemicals,
horses, automobiles, gasoline, and a
large supply Of agricultural produc-
tlons, including breadstuhs, meat and
dairy products and has been estimat-
ed by some authorities at about 81 ,OOO.-
100000 for the calendar year.
The total war business" in this
sense is about "a per cent OF the coun-
try's total production.
If we take the total income Of the
United States from all Industrial sour
ces plus railway. banking. insurance,
mercantile, shipping and other earn
ings, which may be roughly estimated
at $GO,OO,OOOOO we find that the war
business is 1.G7 per cent OF the total.
In any sense Of the term, therefore.
the war business Of the United States
is such a small per centage OF the
total that politicians who are depend
Ing upon the loss Of war business as n
bogy TO scare the American people are
likely TO get disappointed
The fact IS. the total volume OF our
exports to all countries, beiIigerent
and neutral, and for ali purposes, in
dustrial, commercial and war-is only
Q per cent Of our total production.
Moreover the present total produc-
tion for domestic uses only, after de-
ducting exports, Is far greater than
the total production both for domestic
and export demand In 1913 and former
years.
Finally, the present prospect IS thai
the end Of the war. by restoring to us
a market for $500. 600. 900 Of exports tc
Germany, Belgium, Austrla-Hungary
and other belligerents - a business
which now Is almost a complete loss
will not materially reduce even the
total volume OF our exports.
II should be boron in mind that the
war now shuts out an export trade
which IS nearly double the annual
volume Of the munitlon exports.
BY way Of summary we find the
facts as regards war business 10 be
these
1. Munition products exported TO
Europe constitute only three -fourtbs
OF per cent Of the total annual pro
y