Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-12-04
Total ..... -. -. ...s13, 5s5
CONSERVATION COSTS $7,5oo,00o.

CONSERVATION COSTS $7,5oo,00o.
For the food administration $1,000,
600 is added estimated; for the fue
administration s2.500,000.
The estimates for all other depart
ments, besides showing increases fol
their expansion due to activities con
sequent to the war, reflect generally
the increased costs of everything
throughout the country. Some in
creases of salaries for government
employees are submitted but there is
no blanket proposal of the amounts
for pay are due rather to increases in
number of employees rather than to q
rising scale of wages.
No estimate appears for the com
mittee on public information, the ex
penses of which are paid out OF the
presidents $l00,000,000 war emer
gency fund.
ADDITIONAL employees ASKED.
The state department revives its
proposal for an under-secretary OF
state at a salary of $500.
For additional clerks the depart
ment asks 100000. To meet the in
creased cost of living for consular and
diplomatic officers, which is recog.
nized as being out of all PROPORTION to
their small salaries, the department
asks 100000, an increase of 100000
over the sum for the same purpose
asked last year.
In the treasury department the
growth OF the war risk insurance bu.
reau which now includes insurance
for the lives of soldiers, sailors and
merchant crews as well as merchant
ships, calls for an estimate of $4,000
900. The federal farm loan bureau
presents new item of $4,000. For
the maintenance of forces abroad for
the auditing accounts for the army
and navy 100000 is asked.
WAR TAX COLLECTION COSTLY.
The internal revenue bureau shows
"a large increase in expense for the col
lection Of the many war taxes. Ex-
penses of ordinary collection are
placed at $4,000 900; collection Of in
come tax is placed at $3,700,000 and
for collection of the special war taxes
SO, 600, 900 is estimated, double the sum
for the same purpose last year.
For the bureau of standards, which
is taking a tremendous part in tho
of mechanical appliances
TO rthe winning of the war, several
large sums in addition to the regular
are asked. One blanket
item under the head of military re-
search is put at $250,000.
LABOR PROBLEMS.
The department of labors increases
are due principally to the problems OF
and the settlement of
labor disputes. For salaries and ex-
penses of federal commissioners of
100000 is asked; $4,000
is asked for investigation of trade
agreements and $4,000 to investi-
gate conditions Of labor in many in
dustries, principally coal, steel and
For the expenses of the
informed German civilians at camps
under the jurisdiction of the depart
ment, 100000 is asked
In the department of justice, the
principal increases are to provide for
of crimes against the
United States, principally sedition,
and espionage One mil.
lion dollars is asked for that work.
ASHlSOLi OHAL 6ODSEI rCANf,
Practically all the increases in the
department of agriculture are to coy-
er the work of stimulating food pro-
duction and furthering the preserva-
ton of plant and animal life as war
measure. They include the annual
item of $240,000 for the distribution Of
free seed by congressman; the usual
million dollar estimate for the eradi-
cation .of the foot and mouth disease,
and the annual S15,000,000 appropria-
ion for federal aid to good roads.
For continuation of work on or CON-
pletion of public buildings already
an estimate of 100000 is
included for Des Moines.
BOARD ASKS MILLION
Estimates under independent offices
ire for those not under executive de-
,artments elsewhere. The interstate
commerce. commission asks a little
nore\ than sS.000.000. The expenses