The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1917-05-17
GREATEST WAR
BUDGET REPORTED
SENATE BODY VOTES $500, e4s, GOO
FOR CONFLICT.
s75o,ooO,oOo FOR SHIPPING
Conferees on Army Bill Finally Agree
to Report Measure Authorizing.
Wilson to Form Roosevelt's
Volunteer Division.

Washington, May 16-All appropria-
ton records of congress were broken
when the senate appropriations COM
mittee reported the war, army and
navy deficiency bill, carrying Il total
of 1890, 946,0b0, including $400,000,-
600 for construction and purchase of
an American merchant marine.
The committee added $563, 49,, 900 to
the house bill. Among the senate in
creases were $J00,000 for the council
of national defense, S1,000,O00 for de-
tentiOn of informed Germans, $4,000
600 for army machine guns and $780,
100000 for heavy army ordnance.
$500 100000 for Trade Ships.
For the new American merchant
fleet they directed immediate apprOpri-
alton of $400,000,000 and authorized
$3.50 100000 more for use later as an
emergency shipping fund.-" .r.
The bill authorizes the government
to commander shipyards, factories or
the products Of such factories and to
take over existing shipbuilding con-
tracts of private individuals or for
eign governments. Construction ia
cilities taken over are to be paid for
at reasonable price. Persons refus-
Ing to deliver requisitioned factories
or establishments would be penalized.
Other Provisions of Bill.
Other provisions were:
For army CONSUMPTION, $2,65S, 900 !;
nrrliu
transportation, $61 100000; Panama
canal Notifications, $1,7S6,O0O; schools
for naval recruits, $2,500,000; naval
ordnance stores, $2,000,O00; naval re-
serve ordnance, $10,000,000; Hampton
Roads naval base, $1,000 600 naval hos
| pital construction, $3,5O0,OO0, and con-
fstructiot and repair of naval vessels.
$3,000,OO0; eastern marine corps post,
s., 100000.
Reductions of $79,OOO,OOO were made
in the house, mostly for army ordnance
and Notifications, and $20,000,000 for
manufacture of smOkeless powder for
the navy.
T. r. Army Plan Accepted.
Senate and house cOnferees on the
army bill agreed to report the meas
ure with the provision authorizing
the president to raise the volunteer
division Colonel Roosevelt desires to
lead to France. No other changes in
the bill were made by the cOnferees.
The cOnferees accepted without
change the house provision for the
Roosevelt volunteers. AS the senate
by large vote previously approved
the volunteer force, its final adoption
by both houses is regarded as certain.
The full force of the administration
is against ii.
I Whether Colonel Roosevelt and q
volunteer force go abroad, however,
remains for the president to decide.
as the provision agreed to by the con-
! ferees makes it optional and not man
datOry upon the president ConfereeS
decided not to reopen other questions.
! The CONSUMPTION age remains from
twenty-one to thirty years inclusive.
| Before the week ends the cOnferees
hope to have the bill finally adopted
| by both houses and sent to the presi-
| dent.
Many senators are dissatisfied with
the proposed Increase of the maximum
CONSUMPTION age of thirty years and
! an effort TO reduce 1t to the original
senate figure of twenty-seven was an
| ticipated.
The senate section barring liquor
| from military camps and otherwise
protecting morals of the new army
promised some house opposition, but
it was believed the clause would be
retained.