Evening star., 1924-03-12
CHAPTER XVII.
Tho Cost Of the war.


Good afternoon, gentlemen!'s,I ]
have just sold some more military
supplies to the Mexican government.
Silence. -,
did you get paid for it?" asked
one inquiring newspaper man. ~
"The government, has received full
compensation for It," replied the Seq
rotary of War. very soberfy, amidst
the smiles and chuckies Of sixteen
Washington newspaper men. This
was all the war news for the day.
The brief interview was held late In
January, 1924, in Washing ton, I'm. the
private Office Of the Secretary ,ot
War, John w. Weeks. Then 4the
newspaper men retired. remained
John w. Weeks is sixty-four years
old. He Is a graduate of Annapolis
Naval Academy. He has been an
alderman, mayor, congressman and
United States senator. He has been
a successful investment banker and
broker. After his defeat for re-elec-
don to the United States Senate in
1919 he retired for two years. Then
on March 3. 1921, he was appointed
secretary of War. He is from Mas
sachusetts. So is the President OF
Of the House of Representatives. So
the Republican leader of the United
States Senate. Weeks is a real con-
ervative, from the conservative east
MIR. Secretary, in asking for ap-
proprfationS from Congress to carry
IN this department, you have in mind
he problem of national safety. What
IS your yardstick by which you judge
the amount necessary for national
afety?" 1 asked.
well, there is really no yardstick
that can be used" declared the Sec
rotary. 1T is more or less matter
If personal opinion"
But why should the American peo-
partment about $I,000.0O0 a day be-
cause you ask for it?" 1 said. There
must be a rational basis on which you
build your estimates"
Bases on Minimum Needs.
There certainly is. Ny estimates
are given the greatest scrutiny be-
iore being given to the bureau Of the
budget. Those estimates are based
IN the minimum demands of the de-
oartment-the minimum need for pub
.ic safety"
''If the minimum demands are not
met, then do / understand that the
American people are in real danger?'
1 inquired.
Yes; that is go. We are in great
LANCER from the work of the pacifists
md all such well-intentioned, mis-
Guided people," declared the Secre-
airy, with considerable emphasis. In
ny report for 1928 you will find that
N 1850 we had one soldier for every
nf national wealth In 1902
we maintained one soldier for every
S2,5o0,000 of national wealth. There
$ one yardstick for you to go by.
Again, human nature Is weak.
Society must guard against the ex-
cesses of its own members. The 1920
census discloses the fact that there
were in this country at least $4,000
.narshals, sheriffs and detectives, over
$4,000 policemen and over ll5:boo
d total of more than 22s,o00 employed
for protection against dangerous i'm
pulses. Added to this total there
were over $4,000 fremen, making a
total of about 100000 engaged in the
the elements which force US to insure
our private affairs. Yet we mai4tain
less than half that number asv our
share of the police of the world.
One-ffth of Insurance Total.
Again, in one year the insurance
companies of the United States paid
out to the policyholders. as insur-
ance against death, fire, marine
losses and industrial losses, over
$l,125, 100000. We invest in a mill
tary preparedness policy less than
one-fifth Of the amount paid for In
ternal insurance and protection"
The white marble clock-the same
one that ticked-tocked for Jefferson
Davis when he was Secretary of War
in 1S53-ticked away on the top OF
the mantel.
Let me give you some more inter
esting figures" continued the big
pleasant Secretary. I'm year we
spend three times as much for chew
ing gum and candy as we spend for
military preparedness. For sodas and
confections we spend more than three
times as much; for tobacco, more
than four times; for perfumery, jew
elry and other items of adornment
more than three times. In other
words, this military preparedness
that appears to cost so much really
costs us ne-eighteenth of what we
spend for mild vices and amuse.
ments."