The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-10-12
Why Does 1t Cost U. s. More
Than Others in War?
Because 1t Costs Americans
More To Do Anything!
YAAK HIGHEST PAID SOLDIER
And His Food Would Be a Lux.
ury to Other Fighters.
This Is One Reason for Liberty
Loan Necessity Now.

Washington, Oct. 12.-why does II
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 Ameri-
can more to do anything than it costs
anyone elss il the world. That is the
best reason why Americans should buy
liberty bonds.
The AmericaH army is composed of
workingmen. The American working
man demands a higher standard. of
everything than any other working
man in the world. When he becomes
a soldier he carries that standard with
him. and. comparatively. gets it,
Napoleon said, and everybody ever
since has repeated, that an army trav-
els on its stomach. So naturally the
substance of the American soldier
comes first in the long bill which is
rapidly running to s50,00O,0e0 a day.
U. s. Ration List.
The regular ration list of the Ameri-
can army calls for forty-nine different
Items of food. 1t includes many things
which are luxuries to the soldiers of
the foreign armies. At that. it only
costs 30 cents a day to feed a soldier
The figure is low because the govern
ment has the advantage of dealing in
billions and tons where the individual
deals in dollars and pounds. Even so,
the army has felt the increased cost of
living because it cost only 1881 cents
a day to feed a soldier during the
Spanish war.
Take into account the almost stag
gering sums the government has spent
for food alone since the war began;
$37, 100000 worth OF flour: s14. 600
GEO worth of sugar; $4,000, 600 worth
Of bacon; $12,000.000 worth of beans:
SO, 200. 600 worth of canned tomatoes;
$4,000, 600 worth of rice. 1t sounds al
most like food bill for a nation.
Better Food Than Allies.
Without any disparagement what
ever OF the rationing Gystem of the
co-bellfgerents it may be said that
while the food of the British soldier
compares favorably with that of his
American cousin, the French ration is
less acceptable to the Americans and
that of the Italians would get a very
cold reception.
The equipment of the American SOL |
der is no less up to standard than |
MS food. Since the beginning of the |
war the government has spent $685.
100000 for shoes. Only recently a |
contract was let which is intended to |
keep every soldier with two pairs
one for marching and one for general |
wear. The price in quantity of mill
lions was well over SIS a pair. Old |
soldiers of the regular army can re-
member when the government issued |
"bTogans" far removed in quality from |
the army shoe of today
The American soldiers clothing so |
far has cost round $500, 100000. For
his blankets the government has
is in proportion for in every particu-
lar of his equipment the government
has supplied the soldier with the same
relative high standard he was accus-
toned to at home in civil life. The
extra cost of maintaining an army on
foreign soil has entered into the huge
bill because it has been found that it
costs $423.27 to equip and maintain a
SHld+er a year abroad as against
S327.7s at home. OF this sum s251S5
goes for food. The rationing expenses
ct home is s1s9.sO
Soldier Well Paid.
The high standard has been carried
to the soldiers pay. For all practical
purposes of estimate the American SOL
der is the highest paid fighting man
in the world. He actually gets more
than the average German officer. To
the s3S a month a private receives
from the government is added a sum
for his dependents, depending upon
their conditior@and number. Canada
and the other British colonies more
nearly approximate the pay of the
American soldier than any others of
the co-belligerents.
Taking into consideration all these
Items it is not strange that Americas
war bill is greatest.