The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-02-12
YEAR OF WAR !!.. 70 TO-,
| COST Ten B|[[|UN
n. !. estimate Being Placed BY the
Y government officials on
Cost of Years
Fighting.
LOANS PAY FOR PART
,,...v Loan Borrowings Help OUT
70 certain Extent on This
Big War
Debt.
LOANS PAY FOR PART

r,,cHJNGTON, ID. e., fep. Il.
WAo a,bs of the war have cost the
zen mor States about $7,1O0,o00,O COO
vhi .sa rate of s71O,OO0,00O a month
sa.rlv s24.O00O00 a day. :.
le Maso tban half of this huge sum- or
M ssa eoa ' 400 has been paid as loans
Y me allies, and the balance, aDout
:. a all 400 coo, represents AmeIiea >
s sv,av for its own war purposes, eA
o ,'.,yo If more than $600,00O.oo0 Tor
er d governmental expenses.
Toll is Increasing.
-, ovarnmer1t's toll Is increasing
i nv rste of more than 500, OOO,O00,
"a I ;rdications now are that the two
anu mo;ning months Of the nation s
Srst wear as belligerent wiz auh
~ war bill to nearly $1O,O0o,ooO'oOo,'
ii which $4,000, 100000 will be tor a.
"a " hans and about the same amount
Gov rs the army, navy, shipping boaro
and other war agencies.
These figures, complied today from
.ba latest available treasury figures'
chow that although the countrys eA-
panditures are running into totals
revsr before dreamed of, they are pc
low official estimates made early III
the war.
Two factors are held mainly re-
snorsihle for this difference. Officials
II the war. navy and other depart
ments figured literally on their eX'
henditures originally to allow marg'
N OF financial safety. In addition,
production of ships and war supplies
has failed to develop as rapidly as
had been planned. Officials point
but also that as big contracts Tor
Ehips and army materials fall due IN
the next few months the expenses
nay run up faster than is anticipated,
even now.
Government borrowings on the two
Liberty loans have paid for four-f1iths
pf the wars cost and taxation and q
lew minor ordinary government re-
eeipts for about one-fifth. The loan
campaigns produced 1892, 100000,
bnd 25O,O00.C00 came direct from
khe pockets of the people and will
hot have to be repaid. Financial de-
hands of the war in the next few
months will be met in the same way
BY another bond issue and by taxes
which will begin soon to roll in from
The first war tax act.
How America gradually got into hel
tride in the war is shown graphical
by the monthly outpOurings OF
unds since the day congress author.
led declaration of war--ten months
go. Before last April, the month
operating expenses were about
i5000,000 and the total annual
Expenses about $1,000, 100000. Then
aIne the war. In the first month
Day 1917, expenses jumped to
lliO00,O00 and last month they
we're s7l5,000, 600.
These big sums did not include the
HE'D loans. They have averaged
40,OO0,00O a month from the time
ne United States entered the fight
gainst Germany.
The army, navy and Shipping board
hone have dipped into the financia,
var chest for more than 90 per cent
the nations fighting funds. Two
alrds of the s3,000,000,00 expense
or war purposes has been for the
Ermy and the. entire military estab
Cshment. The war departments es
mated expenditures for the veal
ndlng next June 80, figured las
uhe, are sS,79OOO0,0OO, but official.
eoR feel certain that actual expendi
ufes VIII not reach this by a billio,
perhaps more.
he
Inc naval establishment has cos
V0'o0o,OOO since the war began.
SSn,'pplns Board Below Estimate.
me shipping board has fallen farth
=. Ueiow its estimates with payment,
.aee last April for ship and ship
asu construction of a little NOR,
nan a. S2oO,OO0,0O0. Up to Decembe
sne governments shipping program
s ,n.. cost only $4,000, 900 but expend
s IN the last two months increas
NY probably twice the former rat,
hs as ships are completed faster II
y near future the shipping board