The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-08-03
COST OF THE WAR.

'What mas the war cost the world
thus far?" It is a question which can
not be fully answered. What it has
meant to the nations engaged. in mon
ey, in life, destruction of property.
curtailment of economic production.
interruption of commerce and finally
in moral effect upon the race cannot
be computed in dollars.
The Guaranty News in an article
by R. E. whittlesey, statistician. pre-
sents some figures on the property de-
struction and human losses.
Destruction of building and indus
trial machinery in Belgium is esti-
mated at $1,000. 100000. and in
France. $700,000,00o. The destruction
of agricultural buildings and imple-
ments, of raw materials, of crops and
livestock, is estimated at a sum of
$3.50, 100000 in Belgium, and $780,
O00,0 in France. Roads were de-
stroyed frequently by the retiring
troops and have been seriously dam
aged by heavy gunfire and excessive
use. The losses from destruction of
railway bridges, ETC., are estimated In
Belgium at s275.0o0,o0o, and in
France at s3oo,ooo,o0o.
In the eastern theater of the war,
Germany has been invaded only in
eastern Prussia, where the agricu1-
tural population has been seriously
impaired. Heavy damage was In
flicted upon bridges, roads and
governmental property, including rail-
roads. The direct cost to Germany
thru the loss of agricultural products,
of manufacturing products, as we'll as
in interest on investments abroad, of
earnings from shipping and banking
houses, and profits of insurance and
mercantile houses engaged in bust
ness abroad has been enormous.
In the movements of Russian, Ger
man, Austrian and Italian armies.
havoc has been worked over a widely
extended area. In the large parts Of
Austria Hungary that have been oc-
cupied by Russia, are mines for coal,
iron, lead and zinc, which suffered
heavily. Villages were leveled; agri-
cultural property and machinery. oil
fields, mines, railways. rolling stock,
ETC., were destroyed, but no official
estimate has been made of these
losses.
The losses sustained In Russian Po-
land and the occupied Russian prov
inces of Courland, Kovono, Wilma and
Grodno, covering approximately an
| area of $4,000 square miles, consist of
private dwellings, agricultural build
ings and machinery, Industrial raw
| material and stock, railroads, govern
ment and public property, and are es-
timated at 1915. 100000.
| The area of destruction In the Bal
kan states runs thru Serbia, Montene-
| gro and Albania. It Is mostly an agr.-
cultural section and the losses sus-
tained there are estimated at about
$500, 900. 900.
| Add to this the total shipping losses
estimated at about one-third the
worlds shipping-and the losses are
appalling.
But the greatest and most trrepar-
ale loss is that of human life the war
has entailed. Setting aside emotional
consideration and basing the lose on
the tables of the celebrated actuary,
M. Barrio1, the article shows that the
world has been impoverished thru the
death and permanent disablement of
Its productive man-power to the ex-
tent of s45. 100000.
The number already lost is esti-
mated at s,5os,oo0 killed, 7,I75,oOo
1 wounded.
1t is pointed out, however, that the
loss of man-power is being partly off
set by large contingents of women
drawn into industries. England has
j added 100000 women to her work
ers' roster and in the United States ap-
proximately 1,25O.OOO women are now
engaged in work either directly or in
directly war purposeful.