The daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Leflore Co., Miss.) 1916-1919, 1917-07-31

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The cost of the war to Uncle Sam appears to
be higher than was expected. According to Sec
rotary McAdoo, we are just beginning to pay the
price Of fighting, and in order to make a start he
wants five billion dollars more than the sums OBJ
tanned so far. Senator Smoot adds that the war
will cost us II billion the first year, or 48 millions
per day. Comparing this sum with Great Brit
aims war expenses for three years-22 billion $50
million-we find that we are outclassing England
financially in paying for democracy.
Just why our war cost should be so much
greater than that of England is not clear. It is
something that is causing considerable adverse
comment by newspapers throughout the nation.
The general impression seems to be that the ad-
ministration is spending too much even in the
name of war; as one editor puts it, there is too
much of a supposition that other peoples money
is like cranberries.
1t behooves congress and the administration
to go carefully on the financial side of the wal.
By finging away our money without proper heed,
we will soon find ourselves in the position of the
man who would like to fight but can't because his
are too much pinched.
The wealth of the country is estimated at $50
billions. But that doesn't mean that much in
money. We can't sell our property to hand over
the money to the government in order to continue
the war. This idea Of considering the wealth
of the nation and then saying we've got that much
money to fight with is erroneous. 1t can't be done.
Only a small proportion of our total wealth can be
given over to war purposes in a pay-as-you-go
plan; and if untold billions in bonds are loaded
upon our shoulders it will be a depressing factor
upon prosperity for generations.
Let's conserve our money as we'll as anything
else. Our government has been conducting ire
mendous conservation campaigns throughout the
nation, instructing the housewives how to save
and others how to be economical.
1t is time for the government to be a little
economical. 1t should not be a one-sided affair.
The people are standing behind their government
to a man; and they have a right to expect it to
be careful in the expenditure of their money.
When we spend as much in one year as Great
Britain spent in two and a half years, there is
manifestly something to be said on the side Of
governmental economy.
THE NEW KINGDOM OF GASOLINE.
In other days the south has proclaimed the
royalty Of King Cotton. and the west has vaunt-
ed the claims of King Corn; but the oil industry
as a result Of war developments presents another
claimant for industrial kingship-gasoline.
Industrially, gasoline today has a use in every
factory and workshop. It drives the wheels; it
the trucks which transport the finished
products. On the farm it plows, cultivates and
reaps. 1t carries farm products to market. 1t
cooks them for the table.
In the field of pleasure, gasoline propels the
automobile, the yatch, the motor boat.
On the battle front it provides motor fuel for
the aeroplane, the eyes of the army. It facilitates
the transport of munitions and supplies for my
RAIDS of fighting men. It makes possible the SUBJ
marine; it drives the speedy destroyer which
fights the submarine menace.
In the life of to-day, gasoline is a singularly
vital factor. 1t has facilitated the mastery of the
air, and has made possible the navigation of the
depths of the sea. A host Of medern America in
%ventions own it as foster father.
Yet the American oil industry, the father Of all
oil industries the wide world over, is barely sixty
years old; and during its early years gasoline was
a much neglected and rather despised child. The
would certainly does move in these days.
AAAAhAA
HARVESTING vOCANOES.
In our childhood days, the thought of Vesuvius
or Etna belching fire, smoke lava and destruction
made us SILVER. We were sorry for those coun-
tries afflicted with the presence Of volcanoes. We
were glad to live a long distance from them.,
In the last few years, however, Italy has been
Harvesting her volcanoes and turning them to
practical use. She is using volcanic heat to warm
her houses and light her cities. In one instance
a we'll drilled to a depth where a pressure of sew
eral atmospheres and a temperature of $50 de-
grees released sufficient power to produce an cleo
trio current of 10000 volts. This is now being
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