Evening star., 1943-01-31
War Will Strain
American Resources
BIZ Oren L. Scott.

this war is becoming immense. In terms
of dollars and debt it already is much
greater than that of the British en-
pire In terms of men under arms and
in action only the Russians, on our side,
have greater stake.
This country is fighting the japanese
phase Of the war almost alone. 1t has
large numbers of men in North Africa
and rapidly is adding more. Its army,
navy and air forces already are larger
than the British. AS a result, the
United States is in a position to have
a large and growing voice in the con-
duct of the war and in the arrange
ments that will affect policies that will
follow the war.
. A few facts and figures show how diff
ferent the American position is in this
war as compared with the last. In
World War l this country's allies con-
tributed far more in men, money and
materials than did the United States.
They were in a position to say that
this country merely came in for the
windup and was entitled to relatively
little consideration at the settlement.
Now all is different. One important
part of the difference can be measured
il terms of dollars, since that is one
measuring rod that is available. The
measurement shows that in this fiscal
year, the British Empire, including
Britain and the dominions, will spend
about s23, 100 900 900 on the war. At the
same time the United States will be
spending about $4,000 100000, or more
than three times as much, and will be
preparing to spend 100000 100000 for
the year that begins July l. From Sep
tember 1939 through this fiscal year.
the British Empire will have spent about
$88 00,000,000 on the war.
OF course, the British do not COM
mand the resources that the United
States commands Great Britain is de-
voting So per cent of her national in
come to war in this year. Canada is
devoting ass per cent of her national
hers to war effort. The United States,
in spite Of her much greater dollar
outlay for war is devoting barely 81
per cent of the national effort to war
in this year. In the year beginning
July l the United States will draw up
even with Great Britain.
These figures give an idea of the i'm
mense war contribution that this country
is making and is preparing to make.
That contribution by the end Of 1943
will be measured likewise in terms of
100000 men under arms. No other
nation, except Germany and Russia, even
approach that figure, and it is doubtful
If either of them has that many men
and officers in the armed services.
Another factor enters this comparative
phase Of the war effort. That factor is
the one of debt. AS result of its war
activities, the United States will have
debt amounting to about $135 900 900 900
next July. AT the end of another year
that debt will be up to an estimated
s2l0,0O0,0 ,0O0, 900 if present taxes apply.
The debt of Great Britain, on the other
hand, is to amount to about $67 600 000,-
OOO in terms Of four dollars to the British
pound. Canadas debt is about $5000,-
100000 and that of Australia a little
larger, so that the total British Empire
debt is to be around s31 900, 900 900 at the
end of the present fiscal year. That is
very much larger than the American debt
in its relation to national income.
The full war burden, of course, cannot
be measured in terms of dollars and
cents In terms Of lives lost and of prop
erty destruction the wars cost to the
United States and Great Britain does
not begin to approach that of Russia.
However, the dollar costs in capital
istic society do have a very important
bearing on postwar problems and ad-
justments. They and the strength they
represent in terms Of men and materials
are measurements of comparative effort.
In terms of effort as measured in dollars,
the United States is in the process of
making an immense war contribution
that is to be the decisive contribution.
For that reason this country now is in
a position to exercise a very strong in
f1uence in the war councils 1t also is in
a position, if it wishes, to be dominant
influence in the postwar settlements.
With debt as large as the one that will
follow this war and with evidence OF the
cost of modern war, this country is going
to have hard time to pull back into its
own shell and to allow the world to drift
to still a third world war.
A realization of the size of the stake
that the American people are getting in
this war can go far to dispel the idea Of
isolation or of nationalism, as the isola-
tionists now prefer to describe their
doctrine. At the same time, that real
ization can cause the American people
to be very cool to the idea of giving away
American resources after the war except
on the basis of some tangible return.
This war unlike the First World War is
going to strain American resources and
is going to force this country to take an
int in st.