The Washington herald., 1917-12-04
BILLIONS ASKED
BY Government
TO CONDUCT WAR
Secretary McAdoo Sends
Big Budget to Speaker
Champ Clark.

No matter what rays Of peace may
be imagined on the horizon, the
United States is going right ahead
preparing for az long-drawn-out
war This was the only inter-
probation placed last night on the
budget submitted to Congress by
Secretary of the Treasury McAdoo,
for the fiscal year 1919, calling for
total appropriations of S13,sO4,357,-
939.64. More than five-sixths Of this
amount, or $11.150,513,177.76, repre-
sent the needs of the War and Navy
departments for actual prosecution
, of the war.
Total appropriations to date for
the fiscal year 1918, ending June 80.
are s1S,7SS. 960.437.59, and the first
two years of the war for America
will therefore cost $22.293,31S.377.23.,
The estimates submitted yesterJ
day in the form of a letter to Speak
er Champ Clark of the House of
Representatives. are only tentative,
in that there will certainly be sup
Elementary estimates later in he
long session.
Committee PIhns Hearings.
The Appropriations Committe of the
House will take up the estimates and
begin hearings in a few days. 1t was
said last night.
Probably the most surprising single
| item I'm the tremendous budget, and
one that illustrated indirectly the cost
of waging the war, was that call
ing for SAC, ,212 $50 with which to pay
! interest on the public debt. In the
fiscal year 1917 this item was only
$24.742. .129, ,42l, and for the fiscal year
1913, s2n. .795. .323. Legislators last night
commented on the fact that the COM
ing years interest item. nearly half
billion dollars. is more than one
/ fourth the total government estimate
originally made for the fiscal year
| 1918
Naturally. the estimates from the
War and Navy Departments formed
the center of interest at the Capitol.
For the fiscal year 1918, these two de-
partments received s9123. "a, ,2O2 01, the
new estimates calling for more than
two billion dollars above this sum The
War Department asks for about S2OO,-
0oO,OO more than it received for
lsls but the Navy requests half a
billion less than It received.
Aviation Big Item.
Both war branches will continue the
development of aviation. the War De-
partment asking 81, az, ,294. $50, and the
navy, Si.W0.m" as against S739, ,O67, ,7GG
and sGl,l@3.OO0 they received respective
ly for 1918.
Representatives Were asking them
selves last night whether America is
actually to be called on to defend her
self against attack on her own
shores. The question was occasioned
by a second tremendous sum request
ed for 'fortifications and other works
OF defenss by the War Department
s., ,332, A. .l22.57. With the s2.I77,542,l4s
appropriated for this purpose for
1918. the War Department will have
more than $5.IOo. 10000 with which to
fortify the country. For the Panama
Canal. the sum of sl3,29 .365 is asked,
as against 5000, 900 for 1915.
Aside from the items directely bear
ing on prosecution OF the war, those
having to do with indirect agents, such
as the Food and Fuel Administrations
and the Shipping Board, attracted the
most attention. The Food Administra-
ton. which originally received $50. 600,
is now asking for 5000. go for 1919. The
Fuel Administration requests s., 900 600.
Extend shipping Program.
The Shipping Board asks for
$500 800 to be used in buying and
building ships, as against $S5o,5I7,-
500 already appropriated for 1918.
Foreign loans were not included
in the letter by Secretary McAdoo.
and it is expected he will ask fur
ther appropriations for them later.
He has already been authorized to
purchase foreign governments OBJ
legations to the extent of seven bill
lion dollars, over one-third Of the
war bill of 1918.