Evening star., 1917-12-03
Big Sum for Government.


This is the greatest sum ever asked in
tho annual estimates for the condNct OF
the government But it falls consid4febly
short of the actual appropriations made
by Congress for the government and the
conduct Of the war during the present
fiscal year which totaled $1S,7fS,396.-
2s7.5s.
In round figures, more than $11, 900 .00o.-
900 cY stiie vast gum asked of Congress is
for war pssrposes-the country's war
budget. This sum will be increased con-
siderably before the nsea esssmates ysn M Il
Deducting an item Of s15s.ooo.ooo. in,
tended as an annual appropriation toward
Q Old I public debt, ana about $3.50. .ooo. 900
which will be turned back to the Treas.
ury from postal revenues. the estimated
sum for which Congress actuany ,1s 1s sss eE-
No previous estimate submitted at the
openiny Of q congressional session ever
reached the $4,000. 100000 mark;
Army and Navy. Estimates previously
submitted in terms Of thousands and oc-
casionally millions are now. stated IN
terms of millions and billions
For the Signal Service.
For the signal service. which includes
the great army for the air. 1.lSS, ,24o.3lo
is estimated This.sum includes the s640.-
oOo, 900 previously appropriated for the
great air feet. A billion dollars Is asked
for pay and miscellaneous expenses OF
the Army. more than two billion dollars
for the Quartermaster Corps. $157 .000. .000
for hospitals and medicines. $135 1000. 600
for the equipment Of engineer troops and
$780,. .ooo.o 900 for the expenses oi .,.I tne,s err
the great guns to blast a way through the
German fronts Is estimated to cost $780,
600 900. For machine guns. the deadliest
600 is asked. For armored motor cars
more than S75, 600. 600 is estimated.
Compared with these estimates in bill
lions and hundreds OF millions, some OF
simple millions are: For the extension
Of the Military Academy. 100000
horses for cavalry. etc. $2S.000.0 900; bar
struction and repair of hospitals. s25.-
100000; manufacture of arms, S50.000.-
900: small arms target practice. $75.-
0o0. 900: civilian military training camps
ton Of civilians, s1.700.000; equipment
Of home guard organizations. $4.500:0o0;
supplies for reserve officers training
$1,000, 900: ordnance equipment for mill
tary schools and colleges, $1,l3S,000. For
gathering information the general staff
asks $2.000.00o. .<
Navy's Total More Than Billion.
The Nays total of little more than
81, ,O00, 200, 900 is distributed principally in
this way: Pay of officers and men, $685.
600, 600; aviation, $94.00o,o00; improving
and equipping navy yards for construc-
ton of ships. $4,000. 600: pay provisions
and clothing for the Marine Corps, SOL
outfstt,ne recruits. SIS. 900. 900; armine
and equipping naval militia. 81. 5oo. 900;
organizing naval reserve force. $500. 900;
schools and camps Of instruction for
naval reserve recruits, 81. SOC. 900: ordnance
strictly in the bureau OF ordnance. $780,
500 900: new batteries OF guns for ships,
s3S. .00o, 900; ammunition for ships alone,
S32, 900, 900: torpedoes and torpedo appii-
ances, 81, 900, 900; extension Of naval gun
serve supplies of ordnance. s3s. .00o. 600: |
for a new naval proving ground. 81 ,000.- |
900: for experiments, $3S5.0oo: mainten- |
ance Of yards and docks and contin- |
gent expenses: sls.0oo. M ooo 600; tor medicine Medicine
patients alone. $4,000. 900; provisions for
blue Jackets $64 ,oO0. 900. transportation |
charges on the same. $4,000 900: for main- |
tenance in the bureau Of supplies and |
accounts, including fuel for the Navy ana
Of the same. $4,000: 900: |
and repair Of Ships $780,
bod. 900: engineering which includes the /
motive power. $5o.ooo.ooo.
Food and Fuel Estimates.
Eor the food administration s5.0o0.- |
noo Is estimated: for the fuel admins /
tration, 50. Soc. 900.
The estimates for all other depart
ments, besides showing increases for |
the;r expansion, due to activities con-
sanment to the war. reflect generally /
1hs increased costs of, everything In /
general throughout the country. Some
increases of salaries for government /
smnloyes are submitted. but there ia
no blanket proposal. and most of the
increased amounts for pay are due l
rather to increases in numbers OF em-
ployes than to rising scale OF wages. 4
No estimate appears for the commit i
lee on public Information. the expenses