Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-10-24
DISARMAMENT
WOULD LOP OFF
GREAT OUTLAY
Half a Billion Dollars Yearly
Could Be Saved,
Claim.
WAR HEAVIEST DRAIN


wASHINGTCN, D. c., Oct 23.-Haf .
billion dollars yearly can be saved to the
United States almost Immediately If the
disarmament conference to open In Wash
ington Nov. II approves the plan for sub
stantial redustion in ornaments, accord
ing to military and naval experts here.
Enthusiasts, who may be correct, place
the saving which reasonably may be ex-
pected to result from the proposed cur
tainment Of the naval and military es-
adjustments as high as one billion doll
lare annually. Accepting the lower fig-i
ure, the sum saved to the taxpayers Of,
the United States for a period of 800
years. compounded every five years at )
per cent, would considerably exceed
twelve hundred billions, or more than
four times the total estimated wealth Of
the United States today.
In the year 1920 FIVE great nations
Great Britain, the United States, France,
Italy and Japan-spent for military and
naval purposes SIS ~, Pol, 101 This sum
is a little over s.. 600, 600, 900 more than all
those nations together expended for mill
tary purposes in the fourteen years ex-l
tending from 1900 to 1914. 1t has been
estimated that in order to pay for the
tremendous ornaments now in contempla-,
ton a tax equivalent to SO for every
man, woman and child in the world WOULD
have TO be levied.
90 PER CENT GOES
To WAR FUND.
OF the billions of dollars raised each
year by every conceivable sort of taxa
ton more than 90 per cent goes either
to prepare for future wars or to pay the
expenses Of wars that have already been
fought. To be more specific, statistics
show that out of every dollar raised by
taxation 90 cents is spent for things re-
sulting from or appertsining to war.
The cost OF the World War alone, both
in lives and in money, is almost beyond
realization Thirty millions OF people per-
ished 3y weapon, by gas, disease or hun
ger, to say nothing of other millions who
were blinded or manned; and it has been
estimated that If an earthquake should
swallow up the whole United States it
could destroy no more wealth than was
consumed in that world cOnfagration-
Although the United States entered the
war somewhat later than the other ma.
lions its expenses were greater during
the comparatively short time of its par
Hcipation than in all the preceding 145
years Of its history. In December,
1918, the month following the signing Of
the armistice, our expenditures vera
greater than fer all that period of sew
enty-two years before the Civil War. Dur
ing the single month of Demember we
expended each day more money than in
the first eleven years Of our nations
hood.
DISARMAMENT
EXPENSE GROWTH.
The following figures cast interesting
light upon the manner in which expendi-
lures for armament have increased In tina
United States: In 1850 the per capita exc
penditure was SLIT; IN 1860, sol; In
1870, s7.e1; in 1880, S5.2s; in 1890, $4T0Y
IN 1900 $3.50; in 1910, $3.50, and In 1919,
S14477
In the fiscal year ending June 80. 1920,
the appropriations for the national Gov
eminent aggregated s., 6e6, SIS 900. OF this
sum there was expended for the War and
Navy Departments, $1,424. 13S, 667, or Is
per cent of the entire amount; s., $50, 000,.
600, or 81 per cent went for previous wars,
in the way Of pensions, etc. For primary
functions of government, S1S1 900 600 was
expended, or about 30 per cent of tho
whole. For public works of every de-
scription the Government paid out $685.
900. 900. For research and educational de-
of SJ7 ,093 66O, or 1001 per cent of the
whole sum expended.
In other words, for the various der
partments of research, for the inculca-
ton of the principles of good citizenship,
for the Americanization Of foreign e1e-
ments and for such other educational
work as the Government supports wholly
or in part the United States appropriated
1 per cent of five and a half billions OF
while for wars, past and expected,
nearly 90 per cent.
OTHER USES
FOR FUNDS.
Many American statesmen assert that
If the coming conference shall prove es
successful as it is reasonable to expect
the proportions Of our future expendt-
lures will be reversed; that for ordinary
governmental functions for good roads,
public buildings. capacious harbors, irri-
CATION pojects reclamation of swamp
lands, pensioning the aged, educational
work, scientific research, and the like,
we shall expend 90 per cent of the whole,
and for the armament Of such a police
force as may be decided upon, per cent.
1t is recognized that this objective cannot
be fully attained for many years, how
ever, for the wars of the past must first
be settled for.
Presiden. Harding and Secretary OF
State Hughes are indu1ging IN no Utopian
dreams as to what may be accomplished.
They know that complete disarmament Is
not possible In the present day and age,
but they believe that II the great powers
Of the world ger around a table and face
the facts squarely they can come to some
a greement which will make possible @
reduction in ornaments, thus
enabling the various governments to lift
from the shoulders of the people a part
Of the enormous burden Of taxation
which they now bear.
STRAWBERRIES SCARCE.