The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1919-01-17


his sons son, many generations to come.
To count out In SO bills the money spent on
the would take more than 1000 years.
Methuselah, who lived to be 969 years old.
might have done 1t by working nights. No other
mortal could
1t must not be overlooked that Mehuselah.
either In his own time ours, would soon have
run out Of currency. The world does have,
and never will have. In money of any denomina-
uOn, the appalling sum of $221.OOO.OOO0OO. Some
thing like that IL what the world has spent ON
the that is passing into history, writes Glen
don Allvine In the New York Tribune
These figures that outdistance the compre-
hsnsioo of the wisest man that ever lived The
cost Of the transcends all the monetary con-
cepuons which q hnancier conjure up.
Nor Is 1t much easier to conceive the toll Of life
that the has taken.
Great Britain alone has lost In the about
100000 men. France has lost perhaps 100000
more In 4 general way these figures mean
something to US, but an illustration may help
visualize these allied dead.
Not more than 10000 persons have marched
In the greatest parade that Fifth has
ever known Our preparedness parade, and pos
aiby the Third Liberty loan parade. totaled that
number Of marchers. All day long they marched
and until after sundown. 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. 70
abreast. Their fallen comrades follow a few PAGES
behind. In close marching order Until sundown
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 II 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 half for the allied dead to march past Q
given point.
The enemy dead although definite figures are
not available. number about 4,s0O,OO0 For them
to pass in review would require than six
weeks.
Throughout all the daylight hours of June July
August and September then. the CHASTITY procee-
sioD would continue 1t IL appalling picture to
Contemplate.
As preliminary punishment for the fugitive
kaiser, for whom many horrible fates have
been suggested, these may be torture available
here For him to stand at attention throughout
those he sent to death pass In constant review
surely. that might ndict mental agony enough to
appease the most vindict1ve
Historians will finally agree that $221 OOO.O .OOO
O00-or some such hgure-was spent by the ma
tions Involved. They will eventually place the
toll Of dead at II 100000 thereabout. They
may decide that shipping was destroyed to the
value of $2.O0O.000,O00 But never, in computine
the cost Of the war, will they be able to estimate
accurately these indirect losses:
Physical suffering.
Increased illness.
Increased death rata.
Lowered race vitality.
Decreased birth rata.
Curtailed education.
Moral degradation.
Property destroyed.
Crops and trees devastated
Cargoes sunk.
Property damaged by idleneeA
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 the wealthiest
part Of France. Their did not exceed per
cent Of the whole country They paid, however Is
per cent OF the sum total of our taxes. These
territories which have been occupied again by rs
at the cost OF our own blood and the blood Of our
allies. are now In state of ruin even worse than
we had anticipated. The very ground IL tori
overturned laid waste, damaged with shell splip-
tiers. and for months, maybe for years. unit 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
build them up again-1 am referring to the build