Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1918-10-17
PART OF THE BIC
COST OF WAR IS
FINE INVESTMENT.
EXPENDITURES BY OUR GOVERN
MENT FOR WORLD DEMOCRACY
NOW TOTAL $s4,sS1 ,7o2,47o.
NEARLY HALF TO COME BACK
Material Benefits to Come From Ships
and Industrial Plant Invest
Tnents After War.

4 erty Bono Issue nave brought IOTWara
question as to the cost of the war up
TO date. The actual expenditures to
date, and the estimated expenditures
for the fiscal year of the United States
ending June 80. 1919. aggregate war
expenditure Of $S4.3S1, 7o2,470, accord.
ing to the figures prepared by Theo-
.dore H. Price in an article in The Out
look on 1.-The War Costs and the War
| Debt"
The article referred to probably is
the most concise review of the finan-
cial situation az to the war that has
been presented. One of the strange
features Of the United States activity
in war preparations has been that the
gross authorizations OF Congress have
been accepted as the actual cost of the
war up to the present. AS matter of
fact, the gross authorizations have not
been spent, and even of that portion
that has been spent there has been
large part Of the expenditures which
can be placed as an investment at 100
/ per cent instead of an appropriation
from which there is no salvage or re-
turn.
If worker in the ranks paid cash
for $4,000 home he could say that he
had spent $4,000. But it would be only
part of the truth, as he would still
have the home, which would be worth
the amount he paid out and with the
advance of time 1t would increase in
value and his investment would be a
good one.
Big investment Figures.
There are tremendous sums being
paid out for so-called war expendi-
lures. but they are investments which,
after the war is over, are going to be
worth more than 100 cents on each
dollar spent.
When a business man or company
buys or builds a steamship line, or
builds or buys a railroad, they have
spent that amount of money which It
costs to own the property. but they
still have the steamship or railroad
line as an asset. So it is w;.h the
United States.s Out OF the sum total
of expenditures made by the govern
nlent the United St6tes, after the war
is over and democracy reigns through
out the world, will own railroads that
have been constructed in France.
steamships that ply the oceans Of the
world, docks from which the ships de-
part. warehouses in which the ship
ments are stored, cranes with which
they are loaded and unloaded.
The list of property also will include
large manufacturing plants throughout
the country which will turn from nnu-
nitions and war supplies to needed
manufactured products which will re
store the embattled world to peace
full condition.
AS a matter of fact, the authorize
lions of Congress will aggregate
$50. 900 100000 for the period from the
entrance OF the war to the end Of the
present fiscal year, June 30, 1919. The
first years expenditures show that
S18,S79 ,177,012 was spent and that
$50, O00,O00.00O was appropriated for
the year ending June 30. 1919. These
figures. however. are what the govern
ment was authorized to spend. not
what it actually did spend.
Not All Wastage.
A survey of the figures shows that
the United States did or will spend
S36,696, 702,47O. 1t is proper to deduct
from this amount the cost Of the Unit
ed States government for the same
time on basis OF pre-war conditions.
This expenditure would have been
$2,365, 0O0.0 900, which, deducted from
the amount actually spent under war
conditions, makes the actual expendi-
tires because Of the war $S4.SS1.-
702,470.
First of all, 10000, 100000 has been
or will be loaned to the Allied govern
ments at a rate of one-half Of / per
cent higher than the rate on the bonds
in the United States AN of these esti-
mates cannot be exactly correct, but
they are so close relatively that no ez-
.ception can be taken to them. Ships
and shipyards have cost $2,750.0 900, 900,
railways and other permanent invest
ments in France have cost 1000, 000,-
900. funds for the railways in this coun
try. for the war finance and grain cor
porations aggregate $1.O50.000,0 900,
army warehouses throughout the Unit
ed States $22S,OOO.O00, with other per
manent and valuable investments to
the sum of $s72,OOO.OOO. This is an az
gregate Of sound investments of $16.-
900, 100000. leaving total of $1S.3S1,-
,702,470 which may be regarded as the
United States' financial contribution
toward making the world safe haven
for democracy.
It does not represent the sacrifices
which the mothers Of the country are
making, because the blood shed Is Of
Gar more value thar any financial con-
sheraton. But the expenditure of Life
and funds today will prevent the great
er sacrifice Of life and blood at some
time in the future