The war cost $105,000,000 every twenty-four hours, according to the statistics, expenditures of the Entente Allies being fully double those of the Central Allies.
COMPARATIVE WAR EXPENSES.
Without for one moment taking into consideration the billions which were thrown into the war-pot by America the figures are staggering. An interesting comparison is found in the cost of the previous great world wars. The American Civil War, the greatest conflict in prior history cost $8,000,000,000, a sum equalled every three months in the conduct of the European war.
| Approximate cost. | |
| Napoleonic Wars, 1793-1815 | $6,250,000,000 |
| American Civil War, 1861-1864 | 8,000,000,000 |
| Franco-Prussian War, 1870-1871 | 3,000,000,000 |
| South African War, 1900-1902 | 1,250,000,000 |
| Russo-Japanese War, 1904-1905 | 2,500,000,000 |
| European War, 1914-1917 (3 years) | 75,000,000,000 |
It was further estimated that after the year 1917, the payment of $3,800,000,000 a year would be required to pay the interest on the debt, and that the total Government expenditures in Europe for bond interest and support of the various branches of the Governments would require in the neighborhood of 20 per cent of the people's income.
POPULATION AND WEALTH OF COUNTRIES.
Another comparative table that is important to any one desiring to study the costs and their effects is that relating to population and wealth of the principal countries. The latest available figures are:
| Population | Wealth | |
| United States | 101,577,000 | $187,739,071,090 |
| British Empire | 394,930,000 | 130,000,000,000 |
| Germany | 67,810,000 | 80,000,000,000 |
| France | 39,700,000 | 50,000,000,000 |
| Russia | 187,379,000 | 40,000,000,000 |
| Austria-Hungary | 53,000,000 | 25,000,000,000 |
| Spain | 20,000,000 | 5,400,000,000 |
| Belgium | 7,500,000 | 9,000,000,000 |
| Portugal | 5,958,000 | 2,500,000,000 |
| Italy | 37,048,000 | 20,000,000,000 |
Taxes have been the main sources for raising money to carry on the war. In Germany taxes on all incomes from the Kaiser to the ordinary business man were kept at the highest rate, the Kaiser paying $500,000 on his fortune of $35,000,000 during the early part of the struggle. This was in addition to his income tax which amounted to $440,000, making a total annual tax of nearly $1,000,000. The Krupps are said to have been assessed at $3,000,000.
When the new military service laws were approved in Paris, which was about the middle of July, 1913, the French Cabinet was at its wit's end to provide the financial end of the tremendous military budget. Investment markets were sluggish, and there were thousands of notes whose values were rapidly depreciating. The French Government was unable to float a loan of $200,000,000 which was necessary for making preparations.