Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1919-08-07
Shepherdstown Jefferson County, Virginia Thursday August 1919
The War Cost Us $4,000, 900, 900.

United States was about S22,OOO,OOO,-
600, or nearly enough to pay the entire
cost of running the United States gov
ernment from 1871 up to the outbreak
Of the European war. For every 100
American soldiers and sailors who
served in the war two were killed or
died of disease during the period of
hostilities and 100000 men served in
the armed forces of the nation Of whom
100000 served in the army.
These figures, taken from a Statisti-
cal summary compiled under the d.
rection of COL Leonard P. Ayers, chief
OF the statistical branch Of the general
staff Of the army, give an idea of Ameri-
can contribution to the great struggle
for democracy.
The publication of this report is the
first information that the War Depart
ment had conducted such bureau dur
ing the war. Neither the United States
war Office nor hat of any foreign gov
ernment has ever issued a military pub
lication like il. 1t is complete re-
view of Americans participation in the
war against Germany.
The war cost the United States
about 100000 an hour for over two
years.
Our expenditures were sufficient to
have carried on the Revolutionary War
continuously for more than 1000 years
at the rate of expenditure which that
war actually involved.
In addition to this huge amount
nearly SlO,OOO,OOOOOO was loaned BY
the United States to the allies.
The army expenditures have been
over S14OOO,OOO,OO0, or nearly two
thirds of the total costs.
During the first three months ouT
war expenditures were at the rate oi
$2,OOO,OOO per day. During the year
they averaged more than S22,000,OOO
day. For the final ten months of the
period, from April, 1917, to April, 1919
the daily average was over S44,OOO,OOO
The total war. costs Of all nations
were about SlS6,OOO,OOO,OO0, of which
the allies spent two-thirds and the
enemy one-third. The three nations
spending the greatest amounts were
Germany, Great Britain and France ir
that order. After them come the
United States and Austria Hungary
with substantially equal expenditures
The United States spent about one
eighth of the entire cost of the war anc
something less than one-ffth Of the eX
penditures of the allies side.
The total battle deaths of all ma
tions was greater than all the deaths
nall the wars in the previous lOC
years. Russian battle deaths were
thirty-four time Sas heavy as those o
the United States, those of Germany
thirty-two times as great the Frencf
twenty-eight times and the British
eighteen times as large.
The number of American lives los
was l22,500, of which about lO,OOC
were in the navy and the remainder il
the army and the marines. In th(
American Army the casualty rate il
the infantry was higher than in any
other service, and that for officers wa:
higher than for men. For every mar
killed in battle seven were wounded
Five out of every six men sent TO hos
pitals on account Of wounds were curec
and returned to duty. In the eXpedi
tionary forces battle losses were twice
as large as deaths from disease. ThC
death rate fro mdiSease was lower anC
the death rate fro mbattle was highe
than in any other previous American
war. Pneumonia killed more soldiers
in the entire Army than were killed il
battle. Beningitis was the next mos
serious disease,
During our nineteen months Of wa
diers were carried to France. Half
million went over in the first thirteeI
months and million and a half in tn,
last six months. The highest troop
carrying records are those of July, 1915
when 100000 soldiers were taken +
Europe, and May, 1919, when $4,000
were brought back to America Mos
Of the troops who sailed for France lef
from New York Half Of them LANDED
in England and the other half il
France.
American engineers, in France, bull
SO new ship berths, 1000 miles o
standard-gauge track and 538 miles o
narrow gauge track. The Signal Corps
put up 100000 miles OF telephone anc
telegraph wire.
Prior to the armistice 10000 trucks
were shipped to the forces in France
Construction projects in the Unite'
States cost twice as much as the Pana
ma canal, and construction oversee
was on nearly as large a scale.
When war was declared the army ha
on hand nearly 100000 Springfield
rifles. Their manufacture was cor
tinued and the American Enfield rifl
designed and put into production. Tn
total production OF Springfield and Er
field rifles up to the signing Of the al
mistice was over 100000.
as this a healthful town." inquire,