p. 4 | In Time of Peace by C. M. S.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 30, 1908

In Time of Peace

By C. M. S.

The attention of our national legislative body, and of the American people as well, has been called sharply to the consideration of our nation's great annual military expenditures, by figures given in Congress on April 15 by Chairman Tawney, of the House Appropriations Committee. The House was considering the naval appropriations bill, and the question of the number of new battle-ships to be authorized by the present Congress. Representative Tawney presented the following figures in the course of his remarks upon the bill:—

Expended for army and navy, in preparation for war:—

	PER CENT
United States .... $204,122,855	36.5
England .......... 270,596,757	38.4
France ........... 201,439,523	28
Germany .......... 240,007,724	41.4
Japan ............ 97,048,500	...

Expended on account of past wars:—


United States, 1908 ........ $180,678,204
Percentage of revenue, exclusive of postal receipts . . .	.31
England, 1906 .............. $29,329,063
Percentage of revenue ......	0.41
France, 1906 ............... $30,501,600
Percentage of revenue ......	0.42
Germany, 1906 .............. $8,725,496
Percentage of revenue ......	0.015

Total expended in preparation for war and on account of past wars:—

	PER CENT
United States .... $384,801,059	67.5
England .......... 299,925,820	42.5
France ........... 231,941,123	32.2
Germany .......... 248,733,220	42.9

These figures show that on account of preparation for war, the United States, with an army of 52,000 men and a navy of 42,000 men, is expending this year only $66,473,902 less than England, with an army of 204,300 men and a navy of 129,000 men.

That the United States is expending for this purpose only $35,884,869 less than Germany, with her army of 600,000 and her navy of 62,000 men.

That the United States is expending for this purpose in excess of the amount expended by France, with her army of 550,000 men and her navy of 56,285 men, $2,683,332.

If we adopt and continue this ambitious competitive naval policy, how long will it be before the American people, in order to meet the increasing expenditures on account of this policy, and the maintenance of our navy, will be compelled to change their system of federal taxation by adding to the indirect system, which has always obtained in time of peace, the system of direct taxation?

These figures are a striking comment on the present condition of this world. When we think of the expenditure of the four nations last named by Mr. Tawney for war alone, and that in a time of peace, it is appalling—more than a billion dollars paid out by these four great nations of the world for that which pertains to war, and that in a time of great international peace congresses! In that year the United States was paying out sixty-seven per cent of its entire revenue for that purpose alone. And yet by judicial dictum “this is a Christian nation,” and religious teachers are predicting an era of “peace and safety,” and the speedy abolition of war! If any evidence were needed to prove the “Christian nation” idea untrue, that evidence is given in Chairman Tawney's table of military expenditures.

C. M. S.