2115.—How Reconcile the Figures. War Statistics.
By Editor
In your issue of May 1, on page 282, article, "War Preparations," you refer to the Congress of the United States spending two billion dollars, while the sum of the items enumerated foot up only about $196,000,000. How do you reconcile the figures? Again, on the next page you enumerate the armed men of the world and leave out the United States. Should you not include our own nation? 1. The two billion dollars is given as a general estimate by different men. The last Congress has again and again been designated as "The Two-Billion-Dollar Congress;" while the items enumerated, amounting to about $196,000,000, are for war and defense purposes alone. Other items are not given. For instance, $90,000,000, river-and-harbor bill; pensions, about $150,000,000; etc. The first is a general statement of course; the other is specific as to war expenses alone. 2. The United States army is small and would not make much difference in the footing. Of course if there should be general war, the army of this country would be very rapidly increased by a call of the militia. The State militia might be counted as the present footing of the United States, but it has not been so recognized in the past. The regular army of the United States numbers only about one hundred thousand; in fact, less than that. The army of the United States is a wholly voluntary army, while the armies of most of the other countries of the world are composed of men in enforced service.