The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1919-01-18

war. But he will never, never be
able to do it-not he, nor his son, nor
his sons son, nor many generations to come.
To count out in $40 bills the money spent on
the war would take more than 1000 years.
Methuselah, who lived to be 900 years old,
might have done it by working nights. No other
mortal could.
1t must not be overlooked that Methuselah,
either In his own time or ours, would soon have
run out of currency. The world does not have,
and never will have, in money of any denomina-
ton, the appalling sum of 1921 0 100000 Some
thing like that is what the world has spent on
the war that is passing into history, writes Glen
don Allvine in the New York Tribune.
These are figures that outdistance the compre-
hension of the wisest man that ever lived. The
cost of the war transcends all the monetary con-
ceptions which even q fnancier can conjure up.
Nor is 1t much easier to conceive the toll of life
that the war has taken.
Great Britain alone has lost in the war about
100000 men. France has lost perhaps 100000
more. In a general way these figures mean
something to us, but an Illustration may help
visualize these allied dead.
Not more than 100000 persons have marched
In the greatest parade that Fifth avenue has
ever known. Our preparedness parade, and pos
sibly the Third Liberty loan parade, totaled that
number of marchers. All day long they marched,
and until after shutdown. We thrilled at the sight
of these living Americans.
Let us visualize the march Of the British dead.
At daybreak they start down Fifth avenue, 20
abreast. Their fallen comrades follow a few PAGES
behind, in close marching order. Until shutdown
these men who have gone west" march down the
avenue. The next day there is a similar parade,
and the next, and the next. For ten days the
British dead pass in review.
For IL days more the French dead file down
the Avenue of the Allies. Three weeks of march
ing dead men.
The Russians who died fighting for their empire
that was would require the daylight hours of FIVE
weeks more. And for the other brave allied fight
ing men we must reserve a fortnight. Two months
and a half for the allied dead to march past a
given point.
The enemy dead, although definite figures arc
not available, number about 4,S00,000. For them
to pass in review would require more than six
weeks.
Throughout all the daylight hours of June, July,
August and September, then, the CHASTITY process
sion would continue. 1t is an appalling picture to
contemplate.
AS preliminary punishment for the fugitive
kaiser, for whom SO many horrible fates have
been suggested, there may be torture available
here. For him to stand at attention throughout
four hot summer months, while The ghosts of
those he sent to death pass in constant review
surely, that might infict mental agony enough to
appease the most vindictive.
Historians will finally agree that 1921, 900. OOO,-
OOO-or some such fgure-was spent by the ma
tons involved. They will eventually place the
toll of dead at 100000 or thereabout. They
may decide that shipping was destroyed to the
value of $1,000, 0,000. But never, in computing
the cost of the war, will they be able to estimate
accurately these indirect losses:
Physical suffering.
Increased illness.
Increased death rate.
Lowered race Vitality
Decreased birth rate.
Curtailed education.
Moral degradation.
Property destroyed.
Crops and trees devastated.
Cargoes sunk.
Property damaged by idleness.
Industry crippled by diversion of men.
Production diverted from creative to destructive
purposes.
Business development checked.
Imitation of currency and increased prices.
Of these Indirect losses to the invaded territory
which has been redeemed by the allied armies.
Andre Tardieu, French high commissioner TO the
United States, says:
"The territories which have been under German
occupation for four years were the wealthiest
part of France. Their area did not exceed 6 per
cent OF the whole country. They paid, however, %
per cent of the sum total of our taxes. These
territories, which have been occupied again bv ms
at the cost of our own blood and the blood of our
allies, are now in a state of ruin even worse than
we had anticipated. The very ground is torn.
overturned, laid waste, damaged with shell splinz
ters' and for months, maybe for years, unfit for
production. The fruit trees have been cut, sawed
down to the level of the ground.
"Of the cities and villages nothing remains but
ruins; $4,000 homes have been destroyed. To
hnild them up again-I am referring to the build