COST OF THE WAR.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15929, 16 June 1917, Page 5

COST OF THE WAR.

According to an estimate by Mr Arthur Henderson, Labour member of tho War Cabinet, the number of killed and wounded in the war exceeds tho population of tho United Kingdom— over 40,000,000. The cost of the war, he said, includes the deaths of 7,000,000 men, and an expenditure of £9,000,000,000. This expenditure'does not include the millions of pounds worth of shipping and other property that lias been destroyed. Mr Henderson said there was no immediate prospect, of a cessation of hostilities of a severe character, and tho prolongation of the war tempted some to ask why peace was liot attempted by other means. Ho "replied that Germany's challenge in 1914 still held good. The lust for world domination continued to bo supported by the Kaiser and his Prussian advisers. German armies continued to threaten tho existence of independent nationalities. Hence, victory for Germany would imperil the future of the democracy of Europe. "However much we might- welcome •peace," he added, ''we cannot falter till the great act of liberation is fully achieved.'' Ms Henderson expressed i sympathy with the proposed League of Nations to enforce peace, "but," he eaid, "it must bo a league of free peoples." SOME GERMAN' REFLECTIONS. A writer in the "Frankfurter Zcitung," whose statements of fact Lave not been subjected to comparison withreliable statistics, says that this war has cost in 3 months"3oo milliard shillings (£l-5.0! K) .000.000). The expenditure is 10 milliard shillings per month, but the Central Powers stand for but a third of this; the two-thirds concern the Entente Powers. In 1870, when Germany claimed from France a war indemnity of four milliard marks, it seemed to most people impossible, for France not to be crushed bv so enormous an imposition, l>ut how'small this amount is in comparison with the actual expenses of the nreseijt conflict. Only one month represents twice that amount. Tho Franco-German war lasted from July' 19th, 1870. to March Bth, 1871, or 240 days: cost for Germany, oue and a. half milliard marks, and for France the same: together, threo milliard shillings. That would only cover the expenses of nine days of the present war. The South African war lasted from October 11th, 1899, to May 31st, 190'2, 903 days, and cost England lour and a half milliard shillings. That would only correspond to 13 days' expenses of this wan England now wants for only a month as much money as the Boer war cost her for 33 months. Another striking comparison in relation to war exnenses is the national income of each State For instance, Germany is estimated to have an income from 330 to 390 milliard irarks. For England the figure is about 330 milliards, r.nd for France from 200 to 260 Milliards. This means that the world's war has already absorbed nearly as much money as the national income for one year of Germany or England, and considerably more than the national income " r . of Franco.