The Elk Mountain pilot., 1919-01-16


past given point.
these different items we reach as regards indus'
trial needs a total of 25OOO.OOOOOO frnncs.
ITO resurrect these regions. to reconstruct these
factories materials alone are not Sumcieht'
we need means of transportation. Now the enemy
has destroyed our railroad tracks and raiiroa"
track equipment Our rolling stock. which In the
first month of the war. In 1914 was reduced by
$4,000 cars. has undergone the wear and tear OF
so months of war.
"Our merchant fleet on the other hand, has lost
more thnn million tons through the submarine
warfare. Our shpyards during the last four
years have not built any ships. For they have
produced for us and for our allies cannon. ammu-
milton and tanks. Here. again. for this item
alone Of means of transportation we must figure
on an expense of 25OOOOO,OOO francs. This makes.
II up these different items, a. need OF raw
material which represents In cost at the present
rate of prices In France not less than 5OOOOOOO.-
600 francs.
"And this formidable figure does not cover
everything. l have not taken Into account the
loss represented for the future production OF
France by the transformation of many fac
tories which for four years were exclusively de-
voted to war munitions. have not taken into
account foreign markets lost to US as result
of the destruction of on--quarter of our productive
capital and the almost total collapse of our trade
! have not taken into account the economic wenk-
ening that shall suffer tomorrow owing TO the
loss of 100000 young and vigorous men,
'"'' VI
Compared to these. the losses accrutng to the
United States result of the war are. Of course.
slight America has scarcely been "bloodled" 1t
is true that the may cost the United Slater
possibly 10000 lives-every precious Offer
ing to freedom-but several times as many Amer
leans hnve died at home during the recent infiu-
epidemic.
When we consider the number of Americans
who died in our Civil war. present losses
seem almost trivial The deaths from all causes
in the Civil war totaled 0ls s52s-about i5 times
as many lives the world war cost the United
States. Those killed in action on the Union side
aone-1l0O7O men fighting for the North-out-
number more than two to one the Americans who
have recently died fighting overseas.
The financial contribution America has made to-
ward defeating the central powers Is magnificent
but comparatively small sacrifice for the rich
est country in the world.
To date the total war indebtedness OF the Unit
ed States is $17 s52. .s77 OOO distributed follows:
TSIrd iherty Loan .....~ ~ 4I7s OoO ooo
Fourth Liberty Loan. $3.50 07 900
War Savings Stamps s................-. S1sssOooo
A fifth loan is being planned to help defray the
cost of the war The tax bill under consid-
Grafton by congress and other taxation will not
net the remainder America has spent. or Will spend
TO finish up the disagreeabe job.
But even II the war finally costs America $780,
OOOOoOOOO-other estimates have varied from
soOOOOOOOOOO to $4,000 O,OOO-that is a small
portion of its national wealth. How the amount
the United States has spent the war compares
with its economic wealth and how these figures
stand for the principal other bellgerents may be
seen from the following estimates. no exact fig.
ures being available:
National Wealth. War Cost. Pre- e-war Debt.
United States $3.50 100000 ssoooooooo sooooooooa
Great Britain. $4,000 100000 +o0oooooooO
France ...... OOOOO 2s00O000.0OO $500
Italy ........ 3soo0ooo0 1000 10000 $500 ooooa
Russia 4ooooo 25oOooooooo 1900 OOoooo0
Total s4s1 100000 siss ss 400 900 900
Empire ...., 74o ocoooOooo s.Oooooooooo n.lss 10000
Hungary ... slOoo.oOoOoo 25.ooooooooO sse5 ooooa
rot., so5 900 ooOoO se5 100000 900 s. 100 900 900
Swiss bankers who from their neutral vantage
nont have watched "a nations spend money Q
scale hitherto unknown. have estimated the
nunl cost as follows for the 1867 days the world
was plunged in war:
So'uVVovN
1918 S7,ooo.oo go
The figures used in this discussion. both refer
ring to blood and treasure. are accurate wherever
definite figures have been made available by the
governments involved. The figures for the central
powers are necessarily. estimates.