PLATES Number I Costs of insurance 2 Some annual expenditures of the people of the 3 Japanese financial comparisons 4 Average annual number killed or dying from wounds in war, vs. number killed in accidents in the United States peace War of the Revolution showing extravagance of sioners 6 Showing the number of troops which inefficiency compelled the United States to use in various wars, also number of troops used by enemy Page 12 18 64 96 148 154 . 168 10 Number of trained soldiers available in seven of the great nations, by use of reserves, showing also the number asked for by the General Staff, U. S. A., and number actually available in the United States. 11 Dreadnaught strength of the great sea powers. PEACE INSURANCE CHAPTER I IS AN ARMY AND NAVY A BURDEN DURING PEACE? THE HE United States has been fortunate in not being involved in the world-wide strife of 1914. We are unfortunate, however, in our evident inability to read the true lessons of the greatest war of history. Perhaps that is to be expected, for it has been characteristic of the American citizen to fail to heed the warnings of the military history either of his own nation, or of foreign powers. After all, it is not so much the present war, as it is war in general, that we must study to reach accurate conclusions. No one thing should ever be studied when it is desired to be informed on a subject, but rather a number of examples must be taken. Hence it is that the European War is of interest, not so much of itself, as because it furnishes another great example. We must not reach our conclusions by studying this war alone, but must study past ones, and take due advantage of the ad ditional information which this greatest of struggles may afford. If the European War enables us to read aright the true lessons of our own history, it will serve our nation well. We have always misread or disregarded the military history of the United States. So great is the present conflict, however, that it is hoped that our eyes may be opened. It seems impossible that we can hear the tramp of the millions of trained soldiers in Europe, or the rumbling of the thousands of cannon, without at last awakening. If we are to believe the fanatics of many of the various organizations of theorists, women, ministers, and doctors of various sciences which have no bearing on the facts, the day of universal peace is at hand. If we believe a larger and more conservative element, the day of peace, although not at hand, approaches rapidly. Finally, unless we take issue with the great mass of the American public, we must at least believe that the moneys expended for armies and navies, while probably a necessary expense, are an enormous, serious, and total economic waste. A comparatively small group of men in these United States, being largely those making war their life study, lay themselves open to the charge of personal interest when they state that all of these theories are false, and dangerous to the nation which adopts them. In an attempt conservatively, but thoroughly, to set forth the facts in regard to armies, navies, their cost and the effects of wars on economic conditions in the world, it is, perhaps, well to consider first the most reasonable contention of the anti-militarists; namely, that the cost of armies and navies, during the many years of peace, is an excessive burden. Military forces, in which we include both armies and navies, are for the purpose of preventing defeat in war. Ability to accomplish this purpose successfully must depend upon their size, equipment and efficiency as compared with the forces of the enemy. Hence, it is easy to conceive the fact that a sufficiently wealthy and powerful nation, by expending wisely a sufficient sum, could maintain a military force which would make defeat practically impossible. This being the case, war, due to aggression on the part of any other nation, would be extremely improbable. No nation will attack another power if it knows that victory is impossible. When there is a question as to the outcome, a nation hesitates to bring on a war. Even when a power feels that victory is sure, still it hesitates in proportion to the cost involved, in lives and money. Mexico affords an example of this. Many nations could easily defeat Mexico, but the cost of a Mexican campaign is one factor in preventing intervention, by any nation, without great provocation. Mexico's military force, though strong enough to discourage the powers from entering lightly into war, |