The weekly soliphone. (Paragould, Greene County, Ark.) 1907-1918, 1917-08-30
THIRTY BILLION DOLLARS.

East Court Street
THIRTY BILLION DOLLARS.
News dispatches published yester
day conveyed the information thai
appropriations already made ane
those contemplated by the present
congress will amount to approXi
mately thirty billions of dollars
an amount wholly beyond the con
ception of any man. We may talk
and think in denominations of hun
dreds and thousands, and perhaps
millions. but when the figures pass
ten hundred million, and are then
multiplied by thirty. the mind is
staggered and fails completely to
grasp the enormity of the amount
involved. But recently a nation
wide campaign was made to sell
three billions of dollars worth OF
government bonds Several weeks
we're required to complete the
transaction, and for days money
flowed into the national treasury
at the rate of thousands of dollars
a second. Yet this represents but
4, 49, mount poaaccarv in
tappropriations if the Washington
government is to prosecute the war
according to plans now outlined
There are so many big things to be
done, so much to buy and such CO
lossal organizations to perfect that
one can only stand amazed in con
temptation. When we even attempt
to think in such units it is easy to
understand why calm deliberation
and careful preparation are neces-
sarv npon the part of those entrust-
cd with the creation and expendi-
ture of this wealth.
Until but recently a billion dollar
congress was unheard of. Until
within. the past decade it did not
require len hundred thousand dol
lars to meet the running expenses
of the federal government, including
appropriations for rivers and har-
boris. and an the allied bills Of eX-
bopse that were saddled upon the
treasury. Now we see, in single
session, enough money placed at the
disnosition of the various managing
heads to operate the entire United
states for period of thirty years,
Naturally. our first impression is
.that this vast wealth is actually
spent-that it is checked out OF
the nations strong box and dissi-
pated into nothingness, or sent to
foreign countries. AS matter OF
fact. war conditions have produced
exceptional opportunities for the re-
tention of virtually the entire
amount Embargoes fixed by nen-
trail nations against the expectation
Of commodities, added to the pauci-
~ of the belligerent countries IN
,the matter of production of any
thing needed by the United States
have combined to make this nation
mora self-reliant and self-sufficient
than at any time in its entire ms
tory A constant stream of gold is
mourning out OF the treasury al
washington into the Golfers OF the
steel mills. and in turn these mills
are employing hundreds OF thou
sands of laborers at good wages, on
dav and night shifts Prices. too,
have been fixed by legislative en-
actment. and the unusual spectacle
of q parent government buying at
its own figures is presented, The
price on coal. copper. lead, zine
wheat and other commodities essen
rial to manufacture and to the sus-
fenance Of life have beea adjusted
IN an equitable manner The Prest-
aent has established advisory and
cooperative boards, whose heads
are picked from among the nation
most successful business men. who
are assisting in the tremendous
task OF organizing force OF SUI
ficient moment to stand up before
the world and give battle for the
principles OF democracy. Strange
as il may seem, the amount OF act
nal cash to leave the United States
during the progress of war will be
negligible by comparison With the
exception Of an occasional loan to
our allies, all Of the vast sums com
puted and appropriated by congress
viii merely constitute medium OF
exchange which will pass from hand
to hand, enriching many as it tray
els the financial paths
With bounteous harvests, high
wages. good health and labor fully