The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1918-10-08
WHERE THE
LIBERTY BOND
MONEY GOES
Millions Used to Give our
Soldiers Best Ration
of Any Army
AMERICAN SOLDIER
FED ON 81 CENTS A DAY
Clothing Bill so Far Has
Cost S5OO,OOO,O0O

Washington, Oct. 8-Why does it
cost the United States SO much more
to make war than it costs any of its
co-belligerents?
What is being done with the tens
of billions being raised from Liberty
Bonds and taxation? One often
hears these questions.
The answer is not difficult.
1t is, simply, that it costs an Am
crican more to do anything than 1t
costs anyone else in the world. That
is the best reason why Americans
should buy Liberty Bonds.
The American army is composed OF
workingmen. The American working
man demands higher standard OF
everything than any other working
man in the world When he becomes
q soldier he carries that standard
with him, and, comparatively, gets it.
Napoleon said, and everybody ever
since has repeated, that an army
travels on it's stomach. So naturally
the subsistence of the American sol
der comes first in the long bill which
is rapidly running to $50,0O0,O00 a
day.
The regular ration list of the Am
erican army calls for forty-nine dil-
ferent items of food 1t includes
many things which are luxuries to
the soldiers of the foreign armies
At that, it only costs 80 cents a day
to feed q soldier. The figure is low
because the government has the ad-
vantage of dealing in billions anc
tons where the individual deals il
dollars and pounds Even so, the
army has felt the increased cost o1
living because it cost only 1921 cents
a day to feed soldier during tht
Spanish war.
Take into account the almost stag
gering sums the government has
sDept-fnr food alone. since, the wal
began: $37 100000 worth of flour
$14 ,0O0,0 900 worth of sugar; 5000,
900 worth Of bacon; $12, 100000 worth
of beans; $9,000,000 worth of canned
tomatoes; $3,000,00O worth Of rice
a nation.
Without any disparagement what
ever of the rationing system of tn;
'co-belligerents it may be said tha
while the food of the British soldie1
compares favorably with that of hi
American cousin, the French ration
is less acceptable to the American
and that of the Italians would ge
a very cold reception.
The equipment of the American
soldier is no less up to STANDARD
than his food. Since the beginning
| Of the war the government has spen
$126,000,000 for shoes. Only recent
ly contract was let which is intend
ed TO keep every soldier with tw,
pairs-one for marching and one fo
! general wear. The price in quantit,
of millions was we'll over $5
pair Old soldiers of the reguIa
army can remember when the gov
ernment issued "brogans" far re
moved in quality from the army sho
of today.
The American soldiers clothing S
far has cost a round of $500,000,00C
For his blankets the government ha
spent $150,000,000. Everything els
is in proportion for in every part
cular of his equipment the govern
ment has supplied the soldier wit
the same relative high standard h
was accustomed to at home in civ
life. The extra cost of maintainin
an army on foreign soil has entere
into the huge bill because it has bee
found that it costs $42327 to equi
and maintain a soldier d year abroa
as against S327.78 at home. c
this sum S251.85 goes for food. tt
rationing expense at home is $189
80.
The high standard has been carrie
to the soldiers pay. For all practic;
purposes of estimate the America
, soldier is the highest paid fightir
man in the world. He actually ge
more than the average German of
Ger. To the $50 a month a privat
: receives from the government
added sum for his dependents, d
pending upon their condition al
number Canada and the 9th
British colonies more nearly appro
innate the pay Of the American sc
dier than any others of the co-bel
6 gerents.
Taking into consideration all the
items it is not strange that America
war bill is greatest.
a A substitute for both bread al