But everybody except Germany was caught absolutely unprepared.

The war was early on French soil, tying up the resources of some of the richest provinces of France.

Russia had so little thought of war that, as I have previously explained, she had deposited from her great gold reserve so that it had been loaned out on time and therefore was not available for the start of the war.

Hence we have the spectacle of Russia gathering up 8,000,000 pounds sterling in gold and sending it to the Bank of England and, on this basis, borrowing of the Bank 20,000,000 pounds sterling.
Of course, this is good banking and good business and a good alliance.
The Allies are bunching their war orders and credits, and England is entitled to hold the bag since she is carrying the financial burden.
England's war finance is not wholly measured in her expenses or loans to other countries.

In a single issue of a London paper you can count daily reports of more than a dozen charitable funds connected with the war-work.