Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1918-04-18
WAR COSTS J.. s.
BILLION DOLLARS
EVERY 80 DAYS
THE UNCOMFORTABLE SUM OF
$50, 1000, ooo,0 600 LASTS ONLY
TWO YEARS.
GUARANTEE WORLD FREEDOM
Third Liberty Loan, When Carried to
Successful Issue, Will Do
Much to Win War
Quickly.

The var for world freedom is cost
ing the United States one billion dol
lars a month, OF. more than 325, 00O, OO(
a day. Appropriations already made
and bills now pending in Congress
make it certain that the first two
years of the war will cost Americs
thirty-three billion dollars. These fig
ures are conservative. Indications are
the expense will be many millions
more daily.
Few persons have grasped the mean.
ing of this %stupendous sum. What does
this huge sum mean to the people Of
the United States? Here are some Of
the things it means:
That an obligation of $3.50 has been
piled up against every one of the 1OO,.
100000 men, women and children in
the United States. If it were neces.
sary to pay off the present war debt
at once, the head Of a family of four
would have to pay 1920, more avail.
able cash than the average family of
that size has.
Freedom ONE high. Every "a
hours Uncle Sam must spend and Is
spending more than $25, 900, 900 at rs
cents a day for every man, woman
and child in the nation. The expenses
Of the government are Is times AZ
much under wal conditions as in
peace times. Not until 1910 did the
expenditures of the United States
reach a billion dollars in a year. This
year, the first in the war, Congress
appropriated $1S,SO2, O27 sol. In 1898,
the year Of the Spanish-American wa,
the total appropriations were less than
half a billion dollars-$485. OO2. O44, or
about one thirty-sixth of the cost Of
the first year in the present war.
In addition to voting more than $18..
600, 900 900 cash for the first year of
the war, Congress authorized the gov.
eminent to enter into additional con-
tracts which aggregate $2,511,o 900, 900,
to be paid for at later dates as the
work progresses.
Where millions of dollars formerly
created interest in Congress, billions
OF dollars scarcely arouse q moments
attention, because everybody al Wash.
ington realizes that the best way to
win the war in the shortest time is to
throw the whole of the ma.
ton into the struggle and support the
brave men who are "over there"
The war machinery for a year will
cost in dollars and cents an amount
that staggers the imagination. Here
are some of the estimates submitted
to Congress by the military branches.
Army, $6,61O,223,2 O9; Notifications,
$3,332,445, 1922; navy, 1893, 800, QUO;
civil, SLIGO, PAP, 1893. The navy
has just asked for an additional an
preparation of $500, 00O, 900 to speed
up and increase the building Of war.
ships necessary to combat the sub.
menace.
The people should realize that The
vast sums appropriated to conduct the
war are absolutely necessary TO win
battle against the ruthless Prus.
sian. Unless America spends now she
will be enslaved later. Unless the
people support the government to the
limit Uncle Sam will be forced to de.
rive the money by taxation.
Uncle Sam hopes and believes the
people will voluntarily lend him tho
money necessary to conduct the war.
The Third Liberty Loan campaign,
which will be launched April 6, should
the support Of every man, woman
child in the nation. Invest In Lib
'rty bonds and make the victory not
,nly sure but quick.