$510,000,000 For Army.

New York Times 100 years ago today, March 3, 1913:
German Estimates Surpass Wildest Forecasts — Tax on Fortunes.
By Marconi Transatlantic Wifeless Telegraph to The New York Times.
    BERLIN, March 2.—Official and semi-official statements now indicate that the sum to be spent in increasing the striking force of the German army is far in excess even of the most extravagant conjectures. If the Government's plans meet the sanction of the Reichstag the expenditure voted for the Kaiser's military establishment during 1913 will read the gigantic total $510,000,000, some part which, however, may be expended in future years.
    This amount will be made up of $250,000,000 for the initial cost of the forthcoming increase, $50,000,000 for the first installment of annual fixed charges arising out of the increase, and $210,000,000 which the army at present requires.
    To meet the initial cost of the increase the Government proposes a resort to what is practically a war contribution in the form of a tax on private fortunes. Well informed newspapers, amplifying the communiqué in the official North German Gazette, assert that the sacrifice demanded of the propertied classes will be extraordinarily heavy and will impose serious burdens upon the nation. It is said that it is not impossible that the "fortune tax," which it is believed will be imposed summarily, may amount to one-half of 1 per cent. This would be ten times the amount of the so-called supplementary tax now levied upon property in Prussia.
    One unofficial estimate places the total amount of the fortunes which will be subject to the tax at $3,750,000,000. The fixed charges of maintaining the army increase will amount to $50,000,000 a year at the lowest estimate, though $62,500,000 would not be surprising.
    The Government refrains from informing the country just how the new funds are to be disbursed.

    VIENNA, March 2.—A sensation has been caused by a statement in Die Zelt that the annual levy of recruits will be increased by 30,000, which would add 300,000 in all to the effective war strength. It is understood that in view of the increase in the German and French Armies, the Austrian War Office sounded the Austrian and Hungarian Governments on the subject, but encountered opposition, for financial and political reasons.