The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1919-01-18
-Four months would be required
for men killed in the war to march
past a given point.

past q SlNSll PSHN'
these different items we reach as regards indus.
trial needs a total of %, 0OO,0 100000 francs.
ITO resurrect these regions, to reconstruct these
factories, raw materials alone are not sufficient;
we need means of transportation. Now the enemy
has destroyed our railroad tracks and railroad
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
80 months of war.
"Our merchant fleet, on the other hand, has lost
more than a million tons through the submarine
warfare. Our %shipyards 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 $500, 900, 900 francs. This makes,
If I sum up these different items, a need of raw
material which represents in cost, at the present
rate of prices In France, not less than 50,000,000,-
600 francs.
"And this formidable figure does not cover
everything. 1 have not taken into account the
loss represented for the future production of
France by the transformation of so many fac
tories which for four years were exclusively de-
voted to war munitions. I have not taken into
account foreign markets lost to us as a result
of the destruction of one-quarter of our productive
capital and the almost total collapse of our trade.
/ have not taken into account the economic weak
ening that we shall suffer tomorrow owing to the
loss of 100000 young and vigorous men,"
Compared to these, the losses accruing to the
United States as q result of the war are, of course,
slight. America has scarcely been. "bloodied." 1t
is true that the war may cost the United States
possibly $4,000 lives-every one a precious offer
ing to freedom-but several times as many Amer
leans have died at home during the recent influ-
enza epidemic.
When we consider the number of Americans
who died in our Civil war, our present losses
seem almost trivial. The deaths from all causes
in the Civil war totaled 61S ,52S-about 10 times
as many lives as the world war cost the United
States. Those killed in action on the Union side
alone-110,070 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 a small sacrifice for the rich
est country in the world.
To date the total war Indebtedness of the Unit
ed States is $17,S52,377 600, distributed as follows:
First Liberty 49, O, 900, OGO
Second Liberty 3,S0S, 900, 900
Third Liberty 4,116OOO,WO
Fourth Liberty 6,9S9, Oh, 600
War Savings Stamps. S19,S30, 600
A fifth loan is being planned to help defray the
cost of the war. The tax bill now under consid-
Grafton by congress and other taxation will not
net the remainder America has spent, or will spend
to finish up the dlsagreeable job.
But even if the war finally costs America $685.
600, 900, 0O0-other estimates have varied from
500, OOO,O OO,0 to $50, 600, 0OO, 0OO-that Is a small
portion of its national wealth. How the amount
the United States has spent on the war compares
with its economic wealth and how these figures
stand for the principal other beligerents may be
seen from the following estimates, no exact fig
ures being available:
National Wealth. War Cost. Pre-war Debt.
United States. $3.50, 900, OOOOO $780, 100000 900 $1,000. OOO 900
Great Britain. 10000, 000,OO 40, OO0,OO0,OOO S,5OO!O 600, OJ
France .......... 65,OO, OO0OO 2s,O0OOO,OO $780, 900, 600
Italy .."..". i SsSS tSSo S go i 9 6$S SSSG S SS $50 SO S go S go
Total ........ s4Sl. 900. 100000 slSS. OOO 100000 SIS, 1000 900
German
Empire ......,s H,OO,OCO,OO s4OOOO,OO.OO sl.1e5. Co., 900
Hungary 49,. s.ONOOO.OO 25IOO.OO.OOO 1896. OOO 900
Total .....,. siO5yO 900. 100000 s5.OOOOOO.O SSH 900, 900
Swiss bankers, who from their neutral vantage
point have watched "a nations spend money on a
scale hitherto unknown, have estimated the an
nual cost as follows for the 1867 days the world
was plunged in war:
1914 $40, OO, Oo,O 900
1915 $4,000, OO, 600
1916 SS,000,O 00, 600
1917 6OIOO0,O 900, 900
1918 SI,OO0,OO,OO0
Total 1921. 0O. COX, 900
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.