Evening star., 1928-12-23
Gigantic Sums for Warfare

| The expenditures OF the succession
states-nations born as a result of the
peace treaties--explains to some extent
whv these countries are constantly
| facing financial difficulties. Poland, the
| largest of the mid d-European group, had
| a military budget Of $9l 800, 900 In 1925.
| Czechoslovakia's army cost her $62. .8O0.-
900 the same year, while Finland, with
her population of about 100000, spent
about 81 per man.
The Dominions, following the upward
| trend of the British Isles. show cor
responding gains in expenditures the
mast three years Canada, with an ap-
nropriation of $13292,700 in 1926-7,
Climbed to sic. .668, 400 for 1928. Con-
sidering the 1885 index figure price
| level, the increase amounted to Is per
cent
Australia shows a gain of II per cent
over 1924-5, when her actual expendi-
| ture was $24,970,0 The following
wear showed an increase of per cent,
while 1867 showed an actual increase
of IL per cent, or an expenditure OF
| S27, 100000.
south Africa and Ireland show re-
auctions In estimates of 1928, the
| former by per cent and the latter by
about 25 per cent, having cut expen-
ditures from $16000.000 in l924-5 to
| $12, 100000 in 1928.
Millions Under Arms.
Summarization of the military estab-
lishments of the nations of the world
reveal equally startling figures. Accord
ing to unofficial, but reliable. compila-
tions made from the Leagues last arn1a-
ments Yearbook, there are something
like five and one-half million men un-
der arms in the world, or about one to
every 300 inhabitants. The world is
spending one-sixth of its aggregate OF
national income-about 50 per tndivid-
ual or SIG per family for the entire
human race-on ornaments.
Despite the dark outlook revealed in
these cold figures there is some cause
for optimism on the part of serious ad-
| vocates of the abolishment of war. New
er in the history of civilization has
there been such concerted and audible
opposition to the use of force as means
of settling international disputes: never
before has a permanent peace organi-
cation like the League existed, nor has
any agency kept everlastingly hammer
| ing away to enlighten the public on af-
fairs which heretofore were the sole
concern of foreign offices and war min
istries.
Futility Made Apparent.
And, likewise, never before was the
futility of war more apparent, nor
splendid isolation" more undesirable
With the airplane, wireless telephone,
roxious gases and secret death-dealing
weapons which exceed the dreams of
even a Jules Verne available for future
wars, informed peoples (and the best in
formed are military men and diplomats)
| realize all too well that war tomorrow
would be suicide.
One sinister thing behind it all, and
factor which may in way explain
the upward trend of armaments, per-
hapS could be uncovered in an investi-
cation of financial interests involved
So long as money is to be made out of
ornaments the products are going to
seek markets. How long the taxpayers
of the world will stand for the drain
upon their incomes is impossible to pre-
dict. However. public opinion, slow to
be aroused, is mighty force and KEEL
logg pacts. Locarno treaties, disarma-
| rnent conferences-even so-called pac-
ifist .propaganda-are getting in their
insidious work.