The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1918-09-25
OUR WAR EXPENSE
NOW $17,sss,ss1, s42
Government Has Spent In Seventeen
Months More Than Four Times
the Cost of Civil War

Washington, Sept. 25.-Seventeen
months of war have cost the United
States Government $17,339, 6S1, 342-a
billion dollars a month. This rate
Increased so rapidly, however, that
August expenses ran up to $1,SO5, 513,-
I22, or nearly 5000, 100000 more than
the highest previous record set in
July
These figures from the Treasury
show that less than one and one-half
years of modern warfare have cost
the United States more than four
times the combined Union and Con-
federate OUTLAWS for three years Of
the civil war, calculated at 1850, 000-
600 for the Union and $1,000, 100000
for the C0nfederates.
The report also shows double the
rate of increase in expenditures es-
timated by the Government in June,
then set at $1OO,OOO,OOO more each
month. If this rate continues, ex-
penses for the year ending next June
80 will be much more than the $24,-
000,OO0,000 estimated, and the coun-
try may be called on to absorb more
than the $16,0OO,0OOOO0 of Liberty
Bonds now tentatively planned.
The Treasury report also shows
further that Of the $17,339 900 900
cost OF the war to date, $10,980, Off,
600 has been spent for ordinary war
purposes and $6,245, $4,000 has gone
as financial aid to the Allies. This
will be repaid eventually, and conse.
quently may be deducted in calculat-
ing the net war expenses to the Uni
ted States Government.
Only $5,O31, 47S,OOO has been gath
cred by the Government from taxes,
customs, and other minor sources of
revenue since the war started, and
$12,3O0O00,OO0 from Liberty Loans
and the sale of certificates of indebt-
edness, which are to be converted
into Liberty Bonds. This indicates
that only 20 per cent of war expenses
to date have been drawn directly
from the pockets of the people, and
that Il per cent. has come from pop
ular borrowings which will necessi-
tate heavy tax levies long after the
war.
The Third Liberty Loan has now
brought in $4,165,6 900, which leaves
only $11,000,O0O Of the $4,176OOO, 900
original subscriptions yet to be paid
in. The last installment was due
three weeks ago. Income anG excess
profits payments trickling in during
August raised the total from this
source within the last year to $2,S42,-
29S,0O0, and officials expect this to |
rise gradually to $3,00O,0OO,OOO as de-
payments are rounded up by
internal revenue agents.
Millions Of thrifty citizens invest
ing in War Saving Stamps have piled
up $647,554,000. In August receipts
from the stamps were $129,044, 900.
Even with this total, comparison
shows that war savers did not keep
up their pace set in July, when the
Government collected $211, AIT 900 as
! result Of the national campaign on
Thrift Day.
Tremendous war expenses these
lays-$60, 100000 a day-are being
net by sale of certificates OF indeb-
tedness, virtually short-time loans
rom banks, to be refunded in the
Fourth Liberty Loan. Even with a
lalf billion of these securities going
tut every two weeks, and CORE.
inflow of money, the Gov
srnments working balance has
ropped from abouts $500, 900 900
where it stood for the last few
months, to about $1,000, 1000, 900. The
gure represents funds on hand, most ,
t which are distributed as deposits
mong hundreds of banks, but avail.
BILE at all times for checking ont