The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-08-26
WORLD WAR AS
CHEAP PER MAN
AS THE SPANISH
Extravaganza of Republican
Administrations Shown by
Former Governor of LOuiSi-
ana in House.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 25.-Interestlng
comparison on the cost of the world
war to America with the cost at which
the war with Spain was fought back
in 1898 Is made by Representative ].
Y. Sanders. former governor Of Louisl-
ana IN a speech in the house Of repre-
Complete refutatlon OF Republican
charges Of extravaganza was furnished
by representative Sanders, who show
su mat cost per man under arms to
the United States was not much great
er In the late war than during the
spanish war. This despite the fact that
everything the government needed TO
equip, sustain and support it's army
curing the late wal cost far more than
BACK IN the ninetles, in many instances
a hundred per cent more than the
market prices that prevailed at that
The period OF real fighting in the
Spanish-Americhn war was only about
three months officially, the country
was at war from the latter part OF
April, 1898. to April IL, 1899, when the
peace treaties were exchanged, or a
little less than a year. The total mum
per or men in the army during the
spanish war was 27S, 900, OF whom only
q small humble ever reached Cuba. To
prosecute that war cost the country
$517,0Q 900, or about $3.50 per man,
Tor a little less than a year OF war,
a war fought in Cuba, but a step away
from the coast of the United States.
Americas participation in the world
war dates from April, 1917. At the end
Of the present fiscal year, June 30, 1919,
the peace treaty still being unsigned.
America has been at wal with Ger
many two and a quarters years. The
cost OF that war to the United States
Is reekoned at $21, 900, 900, 900, which,
Mr., Sanders estimated, is approximate
~ $2,543 per year per mar under arms
for the two and a quarter years.
In 1917 and 1918" said Mr.. San
ders, Just 20 years after the Spanish
war when the price Of everything had
doubled and quadrupled, the price OF
the war per man a actually held
Town to a negligible Increase over the
cost per man In 1898.
we raised, equipped and transport
ed an army at a cost per man less than
100 per cent greater than It took to dc
the same thing in 1898, and we raised
a better organized army; we equipped
II better than we did 20 years ago; we
transported it 5000 miles over hostile
seas, where we had to face only q
peaceful strait in 1898. And the cost
was maintained at a level less thar
~ hAlN NNGN y ANNA VA VIZ. III NlOus
war, and we cared for our soldiers bet
ter, gave them better food and equip.
ment, gave them more Of II, and pale
them more money and gave then
more benefits than we did during ouI
war with Spain, and gave them more
In combined salary and various wa
benefits, family allowances, ~insurane,
privileges, and so forth, than any ma.
ton ever gave it's fighting men in this
or any other war In history"
Mr., Sanders showed that in our wal
with Germany, had the death rate from
disease been the same as In the Span,
ish war, losses from disease alon,
would have been from Sept. /, 1917, t
May 2, 1919, over liz, 1000 men; the.
were actually less than $4,000. Hat
the Civil wal death rate prevailed, the!
would have been over 227, 700.
Statistics show, Mr.. Sanders pointed
out, that had the death rate from ma,
laria that prevailed during the Spanish
war prevailed during the late war
deaths from that cause during n,
same period would have numbered IL,
900; they were actually 10. Had tn
Spanish war dysentary death rate pre-
vailed during the war with Germany
they would have numbered over 5000
II the ClvIl var death rate had pre-
vailed. they would have numbered So,
900, The deaths from dysentery &C
/ tualll tlllttptItu To- NHtl Vtit tiHt
died from dysentery during the lat
war, l42 died during the Spanish wa
and 1900 during the Civil war.
Another item which entered into tn
cost OF the late war, that Of course di
not appear In the others, was aviation
which cost approximately $1,000, 000, O0t
Pay for soldiers, privates receiving 50
per month accounted for about $4,000,
600, 900.
After referring to the investigation O
the food scandal of the Spanish wal
when a court of inquiry, named unde
the direction of President Mckinley
characterized the handling OF the sup
ply as q Colossal blunder.' Mr.. San
ders said:
'Whatever else may have been sal
by our men returned from overseas q
TO their h%ardships, none has yet sal!
to my knowledge, that %inedible, nau
seating meat was ever given him fc
food while In the service of his coun
try in France,
II contend that the great war, be
sides being a shining achievement
the cause OF humanity, was an achieve
ment In efficiency and economy unri
vailed In the life Of our nation, and tn
"tndisputable evidence OF the history {
all past bears out this assef
ton.
Americas achievement In the wa
Just ended Is the marvel Of the az,
and unstlnted praise comes from a
the world, and the nations that W
rescued from the grasp OF the Hu
stand even today amazed at the rapid
lily OF our participation In the struggl,
Not n voice il raised in all the worl
at what we did or how we did II say
here at home. The harmony OF tn
chorus OF approval of all humanity
married In its completeness only by tn
critic in our midst, and his criticism
will be lost as the years go by In tn
universal acclaim accorded the splendi
administration that so s~plendidly har
died the splendid and spler
did men OF n splendid people,