Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-04-13

Preparations and Talk Heard In Cor
riders of Congress.
Washington. Especial Correspond
ence. AFTER President Wilson signed
the war resolution, or even before he
signed it, the United States was ready
to enter the European struggle with
all of its vast and determined
to wage an aggressive warfare against
German autocracy. This was shown by
the request made by Secretary of the
Treasury McAdoo, who asked for an
immediate appropriation. His esti-
mates call for the appropriation of 49,
401, 1865, 6S4.87, of which the sum OF
$500, 49,, 4S4.S7 is for the army and
navy alone, while the rest is for use
by other departments as collateral wal
expenditures.
This total of $3,40O, $780, S4 will en-
able the government to raise, organize,
equip and officer an army of 100000
men during the next year, but will not
pay for the employment of that force
beyond June 30, 1918. 1t will enable
the navy to raise it's enlisted strength
4COtOpO AN oho thC COlDS
to increase its enlisted personnel %
10000 men, In addition to certain ac-
tive operations in the war.
The total of So, ,932, 4S4 is also in
addition to the sum of $517, 1902 al
ready provided for the navy's use dur
ing the next fiscal year by the naval
act of March 4, 1917, and the sum of
$24O,OO0,O00 carried by the army APP
preparation bill which passed the
house.
Fastening War Measures.
Great strides toward getting the fight
ing forces of the United States ready
for the war We're taken by the various
branches of the government at once.
These included:
ferred at the capitol with Chairman Cham
berlain of the senate military committee
regarding the wishes of the president for
authority to raise not fewer than 1000, 900
men, including the expansion of the regu-
lars and guard forces, during the coming
year and the raising of a force of approx
mately LOCO 600 additional men next year.
Second.-The administration bill provid-
ing for the creation of this new army was
sent to the capitol with its provisions for
raising two separate forces of 500, 900 men
each, to be composed of men between the
ages of eighteen and twenty-five, to be
obtained by a selective draft system.
Third.-Chairman Fitzgerald and mem
bers of the house appropriations commit
tee began consideration of the st%upendous
war budget within ten minutes after 1t
had been received by the house of repre-
sentatives.
Fourth. Senator Simmons of North Car
n1ino OH tr111 ~ nf thn oanata Gnopoa oAra-
mittee, conferred with house leaders re-
garding plans to meet the financial de-
mands for preparedness by a bond issue
of $500, 900, 900, bearing interest at not ex-
ceeding 49, per cent.
Fifth.-Members of the house naval and
military affairs committees conferred on
proposals that a lump sum of $500, 900, 900
be placed in the hands of the president to
spend on the army and navy as he deems
necessary, thereby abandoning the ordi-
nary policy of making specific appropria-
tons in separate bills and making the de-
tails public.
Although the needs of the army and
navy were not given in detail, the es-
Inmates submitted by Secretary Nc
Adoo, acting for the other departments
of the government, show that they
cover all phases of the needs of the
government from doubling the num-
Der of men in the navy and marine
corps and quadrupling the number
of men in the present regular army
and national guard force to providing
extra watchmen for the state, war and
navy building.
McAdoo's Detailed Estimates.
These are the important recommen-
dations made by Secretary McAdoo in
his estimates to prepare the United
States for entry into the war with the
German government:
First.-To make an army of 1000, 900 men
ready for war both in personnel and ma
terial within a years., 932, 597, 1888.
Second. - To increase the enlisted
strength of the navy from its present au-
thorized emergency strength of $1,000 men
to full war strength of 150, 900 men and to
increase the marine corps from present
authorized emergency strength of 1880
men to full war strength of 1000 men
s175, S55, 761.S7.
Third.-Extraordinary expenditures on
materials for the naval establishment, In
Guiding guns. ships and equipment. avia-
ton, storage facilities and ordnance sup
plies-$292, 53S, 100.
Fourth.-To meet the expenses of the
United States civil service commission In
getting thousands of artisans for various
branches of the government-$20,000.
Fffth.-For increased help in United
States patent office in connection with
military -patents-$44, 200.
Sixth.-To provide signal systems and
wire communications with lighthouses and
light stations along the c~oast-$440,0 900.
Seventh.-For additional watchmen at
the state, war and nav building-$29,0O0.
Eighth.-For detection of spies and Sc
cret service work by the bureau of inves-
tigation of the department of Justice
$780, 900.
In his letter submitting the estimates
Secretary McAdoo gave u only this
statement with his recommendations
for nearly $3,O00,O00,0 900 for the Use of
the army alone:
at is considered imperative that the
amount estimated be appropriated i'm
mediately for military expenditures