Note and Comment

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 25, 1912

Peace and Safety

While well-meaning and enthusiastic individuals are working for some arrangement by which war throughout the world may be abolished and universal peace reign in its stead, it may be well to consider what is taking place in the United States at the present time in the nature of expenditures for war.

During the eight years preceding the Spanish war the average annual cost of the army and navy was $51,500,000. During the eight years since the Spanish war the average annual cost of the army and navy has been $185,400,000. The average yearly increase has amounted to $134,000,000, making a total increase for the eight years of $1,072,000,000, or 360 per cent. The ordinary income of the United States government for the year 1908 was $604,000,000. Of this amount $423,000,000, or 70 per cent, was used for maintaining the army and navy, paying pensions to wounded or disabled soldiers of previous wars, and preparing for future war, leaving but $181,000,000 for other purposes.

The amount expended for one battle-ship would build a macadamized road of the most improved construction between the cities of Chicago and New York. The Congressional Library at Washington, the finest library building in the world, was built for about one half the cost of a battle-ship, and is maintained for three fourths the cost of keeping a battle-ship afloat.

With the continual assurances of peace advocates that the days of war are soon to come to an end, such figures as these give us strongest reasons for doubting the accuracy of such declarations.

Nevertheless the fact that the peace and safety cry is being given now at a time when the nations are spending more for war preparations than at any time in the past, gives the strongest ground for belief in the accuracy of divine prophecy. The weapons of destruction are being perfected and accumulated in all portions of the earth, and the Inspired Word declares that when they shall say “peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, . . . and they shall not escape.” The Inspired Word has put the peace and safety cry and sudden destruction side by side. The peace and safety cry is being given, and the facilities for accomplishing that destruction are being swiftly multiplied in the earth.