Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 58.djvu/64

56 for supplying food, shelter and clothing to all government employees and dependents. With respect to armaments, military and naval, all the materials for the construction of vessels, forts, arms and equipments must be taken from the common stock which is derived from the annual product. The rations and clothing of soldiers, sailors and pensioners must be provided in the same way.

It follows that by so much as these government forces, military and naval, are increased will the proportion of products withdrawn from productive consumption be augmented. If these military expenditures go beyond the absolute requirements for defense, leading to the establishment of a large standing army and a great navy, every one must bear his proportion of that burden, because what is taken from the common stock for these destructive purposes is nothing but the material for shelter, food and clothing which would otherwise be constructively or productively expended. By so much as the burden of militarism is augmented must poverty be increased.

I do not mean to give the idea that many of the functions of government are not necessary and are not productive in a true sense. The functions of the civil government are as necessary to the conduct of productive industry and the government employees in this service are as much needed as are the services of any other body of men who are not directly occupied in the mechanical and manual work of production or distribution. The officials of a just government supply mental energy, the fourth and paramount factor in all production. Hence, the constructive work of governments must be carefully kept distinct from the destructive work of militarism. All that is taken from the annual product either to pay debt incurred in war, or the interest thereon, or for the support of armies or navies, is destructive and not constructive in its immediate application to any given year. By so much as food, shelter and clothing are taken from the annual product for military or destructive purposes, by so much is the quantity lessened which would otherwise be consumed for reproductive purposes. Whether or not such destructive consumption may be justified or otherwise is not a question at issue in this discussion; I merely present the facts and intend to show what militarism costs.

We now come to the relative burden of taxation. If by way of taxation so large a part of the annual product is taken for destructive purposes as to leave less than a sufficient supply for necessity and comfort, then the time has come for revision and removal of taxes lest degeneration should ensue. The case of Italy may be cited. It is stated by Italian economists that from twenty-five to thirty per cent, of the annual product of Italy is expended in support of the government, mainly for the destructive purposes of militarism; the consequences being that great bodies of people cannot get enough to eat—there is not enough to