Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1918-11-21
WHY AMERICA PAYS
MORE IN THE war
Her Soldiers Accustomed to the
Best at Home Are Getting
It In the Army.

Washington-Why does It cost the
United States so much more to make
war than 1t costs any OF it's co-bellig-
erents?
What is being lone with the tens Of
billions being raised from Liberty
bonds and taxation? One often hears
these questions.
The answer is not difficult.
1t IL, simply, that it costs an Ameri-
car more to do anything than it costs
anyone else in the world. That is the
best reason why Americans should
buy Liberty bonds.
worktngmen. The American working
man demands a higher standard Of
everything than any other working
man in the world. When he becomes
q soldier he carries that standard with
him. and. comparatively. gets 1t.
Napoleon said, and everybody ever
since has repeated. that an army trav-l
els on Its stomach. So naturally the
subsistance of the American soldier
comes first In the long bill which Ia
rapidly running to $50. 900. 900 a day.
The regular ration list of the Amer
of food. 1t includes many things which
are luxuries to the soldiers OF the
foreign armies. At that, 1t only costs
81 cents a day to feed a soldier. The
figure Is low because the government
has the advantage of dealing in bill
lions and tons where the individual
deals in ollar and pounds. Even 80,
h army a felt the increased cost
OF living because 1t cost only 1881
cents a day to feed q soldier during
h Spanish war.
Take into account tho almost stag
gering sums the government has spent
Tor food alone since the war began:
$37,OOO.OO0 worth OF flour: $14, OOO. 900
worth of sugar $43. 900, 900 worth Of
bacon; $4,000, 900 worth Of beans; So
V0C. eO0 worth OF canned tomatoes: 3d.
000, 900 worth Of rice. 1t sounds almost
like a food bill for a nation.
Without any -disparagement what
over OF the rationing system Of the CO.
belligerents It may be said that while
the food Of h = British soldier COM
erican cousin. h French ration is less
acceptable to the American and that
OF III Italians would get q very cold
reception.
The equipment Of tine American SOL
der is no less up to standard h his
food. Since the beginning Of the war
h government has spent $126, OO0, 900
for shoes. Only recently a contract was
let which is intended to keep every
soldier with two pairs. one for march
price, in quantity of millions was we'll
over IS a pair. Old soldiers of the rev
ular army can remember when the
government issued .%brogans" far re-
moved in quality from the army shoe
Of today.
The American soldiers clothing no
far has cost a u $500. 900, 900. For
his blankets the government has spent
$4,000, 600. Every thing else IL In
proportion for in every particular OF
his equipment the government has sun.
piled the soldier with the same rela-
tive high standard he was accustomed
to at home in civil life. The extra cost
OF mnir'aining an army on foreign soil
has e. ed into the huge bill because
1t has oeen found that 1t costs S423.27
to equip and maintain q soldier a year
abroad as against $327.7S at home. OF
this sum $251.85 goes for food. The
rationing expenses at home is $780, 80.
The high standard has been carried
to the soldiers pay. For all practical
| purposes Of estimate tho American SOL
der is The highest paid fighting man In
the world. He actually gets more than
III" average German officer. To the
s33 a month n private receives from the
government is added a sum for his de-
perdents. depending upon their condi-
t'on and lumber. Canada and Che
ot,e- British colonies more nearly Ap-
Iroxiraate the pay of the American SOL
d'er han any others Of the co-bellieer-
ents.
Taking into consideration all thsse
Items H. is not strange that Americas
| war bill is greatest.