Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-05-31
War and Taxes

~ NE of the strange characteristics Of the
Z human race has ever been that nations
as we'll as individuals from the begin
ming Of time have faleu to count the COSTS
before making momentous decisions which in
volve their we'll being for all time. This trait
is most strikingly illustrated in the frequen-
cy of wars from the commencement of So
called civilization, with history's unbroken
record of disaster and suffering following in
the wake of each great conflict alike for vic
tor and vanquished
The United States Is just now realizing
just what it costs to engage in modern war
of great magnitude. The financial toll wrung
from the people is light during the period of
active hostilities compared to that which is
saddled on the future generations in taxes.
True it is we cannot measure lives with dol
lars and when nations sons are shedding
their blood on the field, of battle, the pain is
more acute, the grief more poignant; but war,
is not over when the peace is signed. 1t is not
ended until the bills are paid, for these must
come from the people in taxes, increased bur-
dens of living, and often they reach far into
the second generation.
Of every dollar of national expenditure,
77.3 cents goes for purposes of war, accord
ing to the National Bank of Commerce in New
York, which points out that any constructive
program looking to a remedy of the present
tax situation must take this fact constantly
into consideration.
This condition Is not a new one,' the
bank says in the June issue of its magazine.
Each war in which tn country has been in
yolved has left us heritage of increased ex-
pense. Not only has the direct military bur-
den been permanently increased, but there
have been additional OUTLAWS on account of
war debt, for pensions, and for administrative
purposes growing out of the experience and
results of the war.
1.-THE scale which military operations
were conducted during the most recent con-
flict was so great that the percen, ,.ge of the
revenue devoted to war purposes has enOr-
mously increased. In the five fiscal years
just prior to the outbreak of the European
war less than half of our governmental ex-
penditures, on an average, pertained to the
military establishment. This condition pre-
vailed until we entered the war in 1917. In
1919. when the leak Of war cost was reach
times as great as those for purely civil pur-
poses''
The bank cites official treasury reports to
show that from 1910 to 1914 the verage an
nual expenditure for war purposes was S436.-
500 900 or 45.6 per cent of the total. This
figure increased to 1860, 568,000 in 1917 tC
1858, $4,000 in 1913 and to S15.028.010,-
900 in 1919, then dropped to S5,071,740,000
in 1920. Even with all doubtful items includ-
ing advances to foreign government. exclud-
ed, war expenditures in both 1919 and 1920
exceeded IT per cent. of the entire amount ex-
pended.
Thorough analysis Of the cost of the diff.
ferent functions of government is requisite
| to an adequate understanding of such vital
domestic questions as tax revision govern.
mental economy and a national budget and
also of the wider question of international
disarmament" the bank adds.