The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1943-12-07
z YEARS OF WAR
COST The U. S.
S128 BILLIONS
BY FRED WARNER
United Press Staff Correspondent

| OAApCO ACSo 0eSAAA correspondent
| Washington, Dec. 7-(UP)LThe
| two years Of war since Pearl Har-
Dor have cost the United States
more than $128, 1000, 900, 900, or al
most four times what World War I
cost the nation between April 7,
! 1917, and Oct. 81. 1919.
; If some $12,824 900. 900. spent for
National defense" CPrepaTcseness)
in the 10 months before Dec. Z,
1871, were added to the amount
spent since then, the total cost Of
the war to date would rise to about
Sal, 900, 900, 900, or well over four
times the cost Of World War 7.
! Between July /, 1910 - when the
defense program got underway-to
Sept. 80, 1913, war appropriations
and contract authorizations totaled
1929, 5a4 ,3O3,611. OF this, $191 ,000.-
100000 was tor the Army and
1913, 900 OOO, 900 for the Navy.
Total expenditures Of the gov
eminent during the two years have
amounted to a little more than
$14O, OOO, 900, 900, which means that
since Pearl Harbor, the treasury has
discussed $4,000, 000, 900 for normal
governmental expense.
The huge WAT spending OF the
two years of war has boosted the
public debt Of the nation to $170,-
900, OOO, 900. This Is an increase Of
almost Sis, 000, 10000 since Dec. 7,
1941. On a per capita basis the ma
TONS debt is equal to 81 $50 for every
man, woman and child. At the end
of World War /, the per capita debt
was $2495QA
43,Ss2, 100000 Interest
Interest on the present public
debt, at the present average rate
paid on government securities by
the Treasury, amounts to $3,322,-
DOC, 900 a year. This alone Will mean
for future years an annual charge
to be met which Is equal to about
three-quarters of the average an
nual revenues Of the government
for the 20 years from 1921 to 1910.
IN addition to interest on the
public debt there will be many
other continuing war charges to be
met in future years. These charges
will include such items as veterans
relief disqualification, bonuses and
pensions.
For instance, during the last war
fro1h April 7, 1917, to Oct. 81. 1871,
the United States spent $780,
600, 900 on war. BY June 80, 1884,
the last time the Treasury segra-
gated such expenditures, the gov
eminent had spent an additional
1900, 100000 In continuing war
costs.
Taxes, too, have zoomed upward
In the present war as compared
with World War I. Since Pearl
Harbor total revenues OF the gov
eminent have amounted to $45,-
915 900 900, far more than enough
to pay the cost OF World War I and
its continuing charges UP to 1884.
In the first World War period -
1917 to 1919-total revenues OF the
government were $11 ,280, 900 900.
Birth OF Income Tax
World War 7 brought the income
tax down to the people for the first
time. The present war has brought
Withholding taxes and millions OF
additional taxpayers.
In 1916, the year before the out
break of the last war, there were
only $4,000 income tax payers In
the whole nation. In 1918. when the
"hlgh" World War I taxes became
effective, the number OF income
taxpayers jumped to 3,S92,000. This
year-the 1914 fiscal year-it Is es'
timated that there are between
$1,000 900 and 100000 income
taxpayers.
For all three World War years
the governments collections Of in.