The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-08-20
WAR COST GROWS
COMPARISON OF ENGLISH AND
GERMAN EXPENDITURES.
Rate OF Advance Practically Same in
Both COuntries-Figures Cause Gov
ernments TO Gasp - Germans Less
Frank in Discussion of Finances.

Is now hltdlAlg HNttao4hb' III HoNA
countries this situation is viewed with |
UNQUALIFIED alarm. writes Judson c.
Weliyer. the suns London representa-
tive. Yet it cannot be said that in
either the financial situation gives any
sign OF fastening the end. In both il |
is increasingly apparent that economic |
rather than merely financial consider
ations are more likely to have such an |
effect.
The chancellor OF the exchequer, Mr.. |
Bonar Law is moving a credit Of APP
proximately S3.250 900 900 to carry on
the war from midsummer until the re-
converting Of parliament in the autumn, I
admitted that the wars expenditures
are Increasing. and that the estimate
which he made In April Of the probable
cost per diem for the succeeding three
months has been exceeded by about
5000 900 a day. Estimates have been
shown worthless.
The war. according to Mr.. Bonar
Laws July computation. is costing Great
Britain about S35 700 900 a day. But
another $1,000 900 a day must be added
7
ing a total Of approximately 10000 900
day. BY April. next, at the very la
test. the financial authorities agree, the
daily governmental expenditure will
easily have reached $40OO0,OOO.
The house Of commons gasped a bit
when such figures were laid before
them. SO did the reichstag when, about
the same day. the German treasury au-
tforities presented their demands for
credits on the basis Of a total war ex-
peuditure approXimatng S25,000.0OO a
day The Germans have not been so
candid as the British in discussing war
finance, and therefore particular inter
est attached to an analysis Of H. elicit.
ed by the last German vote Of credit
by the Frankfurter Zeitung, an excel
lent authority
Germany Loss Frank.
From this article II appeared that the
financial cost Of the war increases In
Germany at about the same rate as in
England Because the relation Of fnan
cisl % economic factors in both cOun
tries. IL is doubtful whether the econom
ic cost Is now really increasing. lnfa
ti0n has caused higher prices. which
means that money is worth less, and 50
IL takes more to do the same amount
Of business. This is particularly true
IN Germany, because initiation has been
more extended there than in England
and depreciation correspOndingly great
er.
The fact that the war costs England
much more than II costs Germany is
due to a variety Of causes. Germany be
gan prepared England began unpre
pared. Germany had made in advance
uniforms for soldiers. all kinds OF arms
and equipment, ammunition and stores
Of miscellaneous supplies. Germany had
plants already prepared for producing
the specialized paraphernalia OF war,
England had 20 build the plants. TO pro.
duce new varieties Of machinery for
them. TO gather materials from all over
the world. and then TO manufacture
the necessary supplies. Just TO the
extent that expenditures during war
time have been small In proportion TO
those Of England On the other hand.
England has had the privilege OF buy
ing from all the world. which has been
her salvation, though II was an ex.
pensiye salvation because she had TO
buy in an era Of high prices.
Today Germany Is melting down
church bells and statues for metal. Eng.
land gets metal without such expedients.
For the moment Germany's proceed.
ings Is cheaper than England's. Ger.
many takes the copper roofs Off build
ings. melts up the copper ornaments and
utensils and substitutes something
cheaper England gets her copper just
as she got II before the war by buying
Il In the markets. While this contin-
ues Germany's copper supply will be
cheaper than England's. but when the
war Is over England will still have her
copper roofs and utensils and Germany
viii have none In thousand ways
Germany Is being impoverished OF ac.
tual material, while England is keeping
the material and putting her impover.
ishmcnt into terms OF finance. OF money
borrowed or increased taxes paid When
the war Ends England will be ready
20 resume normal commercial relations
easily and quickly.
England and Germany have both
been compelled TO make considerable ad.
Vances TO allies. The amount OF these
advances for Germany is not known.
The chancellor said Britain's advances
20 the allies and the British dominions
aggregated t5.i25 900 900. or this sum.
only S73O.OOO,OO had been advanced to
the dominions. which for the greater
mart have paid their own war costs.
Nations Economic Power.
Every budget discussion In any one
OF the warning countries emphasized
anew the increasing significance OF eco
nomic power and the decreasing i'm.
portance OF mere financial power Ev.
cry nation in the great conflict has been
astounded to discover what economic