PREPARING FOR WAR

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Dec 12, 1892

PREPARING FOR WAR.

THE prophet of God, eight hundred years before Christ, declared that the nations of earth would beat their plowshares into swords and pruning hooks into spears, the weak would declare himself to be strong, and that even the heathen would be prepared for the battle of that "great day." See Joel 3: 9-16. The following from the San Francisco Examiner of recent date presents a fulfillment of the ancient prophet, right in the face of the peace and safety cry of the false prophets:—

EUROPE UNDER ARMS.

How far can Europe go in her preparations for war without running up against universal bankruptcy? When the enormous armaments are considered, it would seem that the end cannot be very far ahead.

The new German army bill increases the "peace effective" to 492,068 men. The total German war force, trained in arms, and liable to be called out under the new law if it is put in operation, is 4,400,000. Russia has a war strength of 4,556,000 already trained. France boasts 4,103,000 ready for service if called out, and a "peace strength" of 570,603. Austria-Hungary has 2,000,000 trained men, and keeps 324,000 of them under arms.

France has spent on her army since the close of the war of 1870-71, the enormous total of $3,075,000,000. The other countries have spent in like proportion.

The army appropriations of the powers run from $113,000,000 for France to $60,000,000 for Austria-Hungary. The total annual military expense of Europe is not far from $500,000,000.

The number of men kept constantly under arms by the European powers is near 2,500,000. The total number prepared for war is 18,000,000.

The mischief and expense are not told by the annual cost of the armaments. There is, besides, the loss of the services of the men kept under arms. Two and a half millions of men are withdrawn from productive industry. So far as the wealth of the country is concerned, they are maintained in idleness. Europe loses by the war fury not only the cost of keeping them but likewise the amount that they would produce if kept at work.

Where is it to stop? In 1880 the war strength of Europe was reckoned at 12,000,000 men. In twelve years it has increased to 18,000,000. Every increase has been demanded for the purpose of insuring peace. Yet peace is no more stable now than when the mad race to arm was begun.

Italy has reached the limit of her resources. She remains a member of the Triple Alliance, but can do no more than now. The government is practically bankrupt. Austria-Hungary is in nearly the same condition. France shows the strain of her burdens in the annual deficit in her treasury and the annual increase in the greatest debt that the world ever saw. Russia has yet great reserves of men, but her finances are in a deplorable condition. With a debt of nearly $3,500,000,000, an unredeemed and unredeemable paper currency, and an annual deficit, the Russian Government has just failed to float a new loan.

The European governments are approaching the point where something must give way. It is a contest of money, a test of which can stand the drain the longest. The smash must come in one way or another. There may be a general agreement to disarm. Possibly some power will seek a road out of the difficulty by war, as the shortest way of disposing of a burden that has become intolerable.