New Britain herald., 1918-09-17
BILLION A MONTH, AMERICAN WAR BILL
Total Cost Of Conflict Since Me Became Active $17,339,68t,342

Washington, Sept. 17.-Seventeen months of war have cost the United States government $17, ,339, ,661, ,342- a billion dollars a month, This rate has increased so rapidly, however, that August expenses ran up to $1,S05, 3,222, or nearly $200, 100000 more than the highest previous rec | ord set in July
 These figures from the Treasury show that less than 1 12 years ol modern warfare have cost the United States more than four times the com bined Union and Confederate outlay1 for three years of the Civil war, calculated at $3.660, ,0O0,OOc TOT tiI1 l union and $1.50O,0 100000 for the Con- federates.
 The report also shows double the rate of increase in expenditures es- timated by the government in June, then set at $100,000,000 more each month. If this rate continues, eX- penses for the year ending next June 30 will be much more than the SEA- 000,OU0, GOO estimated. and the coun- try may be called On to absorb more than the $16,000.000,O00 of liberty bonds, now tentatively planned. The treasury report also shows fur ther that of the $17,339, 100000 cost of the war to date, s10, ,989, ,077,000 has been spent for ordinary war purposes, and $6,245, 764 900 has gone as finan cia, aid to the allies. This will be re- paid eventually and consequently may be deducted in calculating the net war expenses to the United States govern ment.
 Only SJ,031, ,478,000 has been gath cred by the government from taxes, customs and other minor sources of revenue since the war started, and $12,300, 100000 from Liberty loans and sale of certificates of indebtednesA which are to be converted into Liber- ty bonds This indicates that only 29 per cent of war expenses to date have been drawn directly from the pockets of the people, and that T per cent. has come from popular borrowings which will necessitate heavy tax leyies long after the war.
 The third liberty loan has now
 brought in s4,165 ,635, 900 which leaves
 only s11,0O0,O00 of the $4,176, 900, 0CJ
 original subscriptions yet to be paw
 in. The last installment was due three
 weeks ago. Income and excess profits
 payments stricklng in during August
 raised the total from this course with
 in the last year to S2,S42, ,298, 900 and
 officials expect this to rise gradually to
 $3,O00, ,000.0O0 as delinquent payments
 are rounded up by internal revenue
 agents.
 Millions of thrifty citizens invest
 ing in war savings stamps have
 piled up S647, 7,554. 900. In August re-
 ceipts from the stamps were $129,
 44,0O0. Even with this total. conn.,
 parison shows that war savers did
 not keep up their pace set in July,
 when the government collected $211,-
 417,000 as result of the national
 campaign on thrift day.
 Tremendous war expenses these
 days-$60, 900, 900 a day-are being
 met by sa le of certificates of indebted
 ness virtually short time loans from
 banks, to be refunded in the fourth
 liberty loan. Even with a half billion
 of these securities going out every
 two weeks, and a corresponding in
 flow of money, the governments
 working balance has dropped from
 about $500. 100000 where it stood
 for the last few months, to about $1,-
 900. .000.0 000. The figure represents
 funds on hand. most of which is
 distributed as deposits among hum
 dreds of banks, but available at all
 times for checking out.