The strengths of the European armies in peace as well as war time are shown in the following table:
| Country | Peacetime strength | Wartime strength |
|---|---|---|
| Belgium | 46,575 | 108,420 |
| Denmark | 17,000 | 50,000 |
| Germany | 427,274 | 1,700,000 |
| France | 498,483 | 1,200,000 |
| England | 188,500 | 595,000 |
| Greece | 54,900 | 200,000 |
| Italy | 210,000 | 1,900,000 |
| Netherlands | 65,000 | 105,000 |
| Austria | 284,000 | 1,160,000 |
| Portugal | 28,000 | 78,000 |
| Romania | 23,770 | 70,000 |
| Russia | 970,000 | 2,619,000 |
| Sweden-Norway | 59,000 | 252,700 |
| Switzerland | 116,000 | 208,000 |
| Serbia | 25,000 | 250,000 |
| Spain | 94,000 | 134,000 |
| Turkey | 160,000 | 610,000 |
| Total | 3,268,402 | 11,149,120 |
Naturally this table is only approximate. And that’s true for the following table of the annual expenditures and the debts of the same countries, namely:
| Country | Expenditure | Debt Burden |
|---|---|---|
| (million dollars) | (million dollars) | |
| Belgium | 63 | 350 |
| Denmark | 12 | 49 |
| Germany | 529 | 1,400 |
| France | 723 | 8,750 |
| England | 947 | 5,289 |
| Greece | 22 | 85 |
| Italy | 441 | 2,009 |
| Netherlands | 110 | 487 |
| Austria | 467 | 2,426 |
| Romania | 24 | 101 |
| Russia | 388 | 2,363 |
| Sweden-Norway | 34 | 96 |
| Switzerland | 13 | 71 |
| Spain | 154 | 1,922 |
| Turkey | ? | ? |
| Total | 3,936 | 25,398 |
According to these figures the debt burden of the European countries is about $100 per person and nevertheless these same ones always pump away where only money is available and with every year the interest burden on the debts become heavier. What will come of this in a few years if one country after the other finds it necessary to declare bankruptcy?
What a benefit for our country that we evidently don’t need a standing army!