The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1917-07-13
U. S. Saves Big
Sum on Supplies

Washington, D. c., July Ample
supplies for the National Guard and
National Army are assured by the
time these troops are in the Federal
service.
Since the last of March more troops
have been QUILTED than during the
entire Spanish-American War and
more than were supplied to meet the
Mexican trouble.
The troops sent to France took six
months supplies with them About
100000 men have been supplied since
the last of March. The action of
Secretary Baker in ordering the De-
partment to order supplies when there
was no money is what saved the day.
The adjournment of Congress March
4 without passing the urgent def
cheney bill left the War Department
without money to pay for supplies for
future needs.
Clothing and tentage have offered
the most difficult problems, but CO.
operation of the supplies division of
the Quartermaster Generals office,
the Committee on Supplies of the
Council of National Defense and man.
ufacturers have met the difficulties.
Tentage Problem Settled.
The Committee on Supplies says the
tentage duck situation has improved
so materially that the development of
new sources of supply and the expan-
sion of existing manufacturing facil-
tiles that it will be possible to place
at least half a million of the new ar
my under tents by September /. De-
liveries of tentage sufficient for 500,-
900 men before that date have been
arranged.
The original plan to build 80 wood
en- environments was based on the be-
lief that tentage could not possibly
be procured for any large part of it.
When it was discovered that the
shortage was less severe than sup
posed, the number of cantonments
was reduced to 16.
Contracts for blankets, shifting,
uniforms, overcoats, shoes and other
clothing essentials needed by the I'M
tial army of million have been ar
ranged for and orders placed.
In commenting on the work Julius
Rosenwald of Chicago, chairman of the
Committee on Supplies, said:
Through doing away with Compel
tive bidding, we have been able to in
dictate where orders should be placed
for uniforms and equipment at prices
varying in different localities, but
nearly always at a figure below that
which the private wholesale buyer
would have to pay, and giving only a
fair margin of profit to the manufac-
turer.
Great Saving to Government.
Through personal conference with
the manufacturers the market has
remained comparatively steady, elm
mating the danger of price imitation,
which big government project usu-
ally brings in its wake when bids are
advertised in the open market.
"The result has been not only a big
saving to the Government in its sup
ply contracts, but what is of far
greater Importance, the prices which
the general public has had to pay
have not been materially, increased as
a result of the Governments pur-
chases.
"The great difficulty has been in
getting equipment for the army. It
has been done only through getting
the cooperation of the textile indus |
tries, many of whom never had shown
any interest in Government orders"
To Start South July Is.
Each National Guardsman will re-
ceive clothing, shoes, hat, gun, etc.,
before he leaves his State. Inciden-
sals not Immediately needed will be
sent direct to the mobilization camps
n the South. Clothing, etc., will be
distributed at the armories to those
Guard units which are held
1t armories while being mustered in
o Federal service.
The distribution will be made at the
State mobilization camps in the cas-
IS of those States which have ar
anged to concentrate all their Ma
ional Guard units at one place before
hey leave the State.
The dates given for mastering in
o Federal service-July Is, July rs
nd August 5-are those upon which
is planned to start the units toward
he Southern camps, where they will
e further trained.