Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-04
]. 5. WAR DEBT {
FAR LESS THANl
OTHER NAT|0NS1
Central Powers Owe % Per
Cent of Peoples Total
Wealth.
ALLIES LIABILITIES
ARE HALF AS GREAT

washington. d. T., Jan. 1.-The
United States enter the New Year
with national debt of $5,615, 000, 000.J
more than five times greater than
when it entered the war nine months
ago, but only one-third of the debt
which promises to develop by the first
Of next year.
The debt per capita is about ISL,
and the percentage of debt to esti-
mated national wealth is 21la per cent.
ARMY "sAvEs" BIG SUM.
The treasury's financial summary
statement issued to day for the first
time since last June 30. shows that (
actual disbursements during the first
half Of the fiscal year have fallen fara
below the estimates particularly fors
the military establishments.
An enormous prospective increase
in war department expenses. for MI
nitions and materials contracts to be-
filed in the spring. will raise the gov
eminent OUTLAWS at that time but OF
ficials feel some doubt that or.
binary disbursements will reach the
$12,316 .0n0O estimated for the fiscal
year ending next June 30.
CONTRACTS ARE IN FORCE.
The actual outlay for the military
establishment up to December was
$1,311 100000 The estimated outlay
for the whole fiscal year is $S.790.000,-
900. The navy spent $426,000 ono and
its estimate for the year is $1.3no00o,-
0O0 Shipping board expenditures
were $11S0OO.O0O while the years es-
innate is 1901 100000 Each Of thess
three principal departments has out J
standing contracts for which big ex- 4
penditures will have to be made with /
in the remaining half of the fiscal !
year, however. and the aggregate OF /
these is the uncertain element which
makes 1t impossible to determine at
this time precisely how many adj
ditional Liberty Bonds must be issued
between now and next June 30. j
FOES OWE % PER CENT.
Great as the national debt seems to |,
this country, whose debt before the
war was only little past the billion
dollar mark, it is only about one7
fourth that Of either Great Britains
France. Russian or Germany. Thti
debt of all Of Americas co-belliger1
ents is about $4,000. 900 900 or IA peE
cent of the estimated wealth of thosel
nations. and the Teutonic allies debit
is about $40 1000 ooO. 900 or % per cent
Of their estimated wealth.
BIG APPROPRIATIONS SOON.
An urgent deficiency appropriation
Of approximately 1888. 100000 for thu ,
army, navy, food administration and
other government work. will be askei
Of congress soon after the holiday ri
cess.
The largest item viii be one of ST.
PTS. 10000 for the army includin3
800 100000 for the auartermastei
corps for supplies; 3450,000,0 900 I'd
ordnance and $14o,000,ooO for the eri
gineers. i!
The department of agriculture wills
can for $6,000.O00 for the purchase pin
seeds to be sold to farmers for re-F
the nations crops in a6
dition to $2.500,oO0 provided for thes
same purpose in the food survey law.
HOOVER ASKS 100000.
The food administration will ask
for $4,000, 600 to make total Of $4ts
100000 available to it for the currens
fiscal year. in addition to amounts all
lotted from the presidents hundred
fund.
The navy department already has
asked for a $55.000,000 deficiency api
Besides these dehcienc,
contemplated the Wal
already has asked $1.123,At
100000. additional to the regular es-I
=