Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1917-09-26
The War is Bad Enough
Without False Figures
To Distress Boys Friends
Henry M. Hyde in Chicago Tribune1

War is dangerous The soldier risks his life daily.
But nothing is certain than that the civilian
ahome population vastly exaggerates the dangers and
risks of war
There have been repeatedly printed sets of figures
which purported show the percentage of deaths in the
armies the allies the front. According
these tables the average life engineer
on the battle front thirty mnutes aviators could
look forward to only week of going into active service
the front doctors killed within week of going into
active service. The impression plainly conveyed
that nobody in any branch of the service could
survive more than few months the western line.
THE FIGURES WE'RE FALSE. They wicked
They increased the fear and suffering of millions Of
pie who had relatives in the uniform OF the Unit
ed States IF NOT DIRECT GERMAN PROPAGANDA
THEY SERVE AT LEAST UNNECESSARILY TO DIS
COURAGE AND ALARM THE FATHERS AND MOTH
ERS OF AMERICA.
The truth about dangers and risks of war is told
in this article accurately the official figures will
permit.
Canada, for example, during the three years of war;
has lost by death every hundred she
to the battle front In times of peace certain percent
age of of military age will die. Deducting per-
cenage from the total it appears
among the troops of the dominion has been little
per cent.
1t especially noteworthy this percentage tends
to grow smaller with each year of the When the
first winter of fighting Canada sent 1000 practically
unframed troops to the front she lost in that single
son 1927 Consider how greatly the losses have
been reduced to bring the total percentage three
years of constant fighting per cent as against
per cent for the first few months.
FRANCE with It's vast armies OF nearly 100000 men,
has had similar experience During the first wear of
war it records casualties between per cent and ner
cent Last these losses cut down to 2h ner
cent For the last six months of the percentage of
the whole French army killed. missing or captured was
only LIS cent about men out of each 400 These
are the official French figures made public bv the high
commissioner OF the French republic to the United
states. 1hey can be depended accurate
Many more men, of course, are wounded PERHAPS
one man out OF four or rs cent of the total our
armies will receive wound greater or less severity
II the war lasts a year longer.
But consider this all the soldiers wounded in bat
te the British and hospitals are turning out
W per cent in such condition that they can go back to the
battle front About 95 the wounded troops
hnally recover and only per them are perma
nently disabled
Most startling have been the advances made in the
handling and cure of wounds and in the prevention of
suffering on the part of the wounded men, New forms
ana methods OF anesthesa have been developed still
oher discoveries make certain and greatly hasten
the healing of gunshot and other wounds
1t is remarked that the percentage of death from
disease among the troops of the allied armies is actually
less than would be among the number and kind
OF men in times of In spite of the hardships of
trench e constant living in the open air. together with
the enforced physical exercise the watchfu care of
skilled physicians, have reduced the percentage of sol
ders dying from disease to little more than half what
would be in normal DAYS
THERE IS NO WISH TO DEMONSTRATE THAT
WAR is AS SAFE AS A SUNDAY SCHOOL PICNIC
It's dangers great It's losses nv death arc
numerous and terrible. considerable number of our
soldiers will never home from France Another
considerable traction will come back permanently Grip
pied and helpless The truth is bad enough
But mothers and fathers sons have gone or are
going to may find comfort in the statement
that eight out of every gay young soldiers who
are putting the uniform will go through the war
without getting serious scratch and will back to
civil life stronger physically than they were before
This is prediction which is justified by the exper-
fence of the allied armies in the present war