The Springdale news., 1917-08-17
DANGER NOT GREAT
Chances Is to l In Favor of Our
Soldiers Who Go To France


from his studies of figures of the
French army.
Don't worry if your son is drafted
Fifteen men out of every 16 have
been safe from death so far.
Under present conditions, where
man power is being saved, not more
than one in 30 is killed
Disease has taken no more than in
peace times.
Only one man in 500 loses limb
a chance no greater than in hazard
Gus occupations at home.
"l've been drafted and will in all
probability go to the firing line IN
France. Are the chances for or
against my returning home safely %
It was young man employee of Rog-
er Babson, the Wellesley statistician,
who asked the question. He wasn't
afraid eff what might happen to him,
in fact was rather proud to go. but he
simply wanted information for use in
arranging MS aHalTS.
Of course, Babson, even though he
deals with figures at all times, could
not give the young man an off-hand
answer. But he made up his mind
that the seldier-to-b deserved re-
liable answer and that he was going
to find It. So Immediately the Stats
tician got busy, obtained official fig
ures and was soon able to give the
young man this answer:
Fifteen out of 16 of the boys who
fight in France in all likelihood will be
safe and sound one year after they
enter the trenches. .
Uses French Loss As Basis
Giving the matter further thought,
Babson decided that it was the right
of every eonseripted young man, ev-
cry volunteer, and the mothers and
fathers Of both, to know just what
chances soldiers take So he has ar
ranged publicity for the result of his
Investigations.
Babson's conclusions are based on
the mortality figures of the French
army during the full three years of
the war 1t should be remembered
that. the present fighting IS not=re-
sulting in anywhere near the number
of deaths that occurred during the first
two years, when such battles as that
at the Marine, at Ypres and at Verdun
sent the mortality rate soaring.
In short the war has resolved It
self into one of attrition; each army
IS trying to wear the other down with
out losing Itself any more men than
necessary. There is no reason to be-
lieve that this method of fighting will
not contiue when our troops reach the
firing line. If it does, the chances of
an American soldier returning safe
and sound are even better than that
quoted in his reply to his employe.
IN the first place. Babson said,
"the terrible disease scourges which
used to raise havoc with armies IN
the field are no more Cholera, dys-
entery, and typhoid no more take a
horrible toll from the ranks; modern
methods of sanitation and prevention
have made these things of the past
5000, 900 French in War
at It's take look at the figures in
the matter. In round numbers, o.
O00. 900 men have fought under the
banner of France since the beginning
of the war OF these approximately
so 900 have died from diseases of va
rious kinds; comparing these with
the mortality figures Of peace times
for men of the same ages, we find
that they are about the same. Re
member that duringn the first months
of the war before it was possible TO
care properly for aihng soldiers
deaths were at terrible rate, which
brought the rate for the three years
much higher than it is at present So
under present methods Of sanitation
a man is not as likely to die from dis
ease in an army as he is at home.
about 100000 men in the French
army have been killed or died from
wounds during the three years Of war;
half of these died during the frs. year
But in compiling the statistics, well
take the average, which is 100000 pei
year, or about one-sixteenth Of the
total number engaged Thus, con-
sidering a man in this war for one
- ,E La,aoc of rot,,ry n q