The Robesonian., 1917-12-06
WAR BUDGET OF MORE
THAN II BILLION DOLLARS

10 Pay Army and Navy Costs
During Next Year-More Than
$2,500,Ooo, 900 Larger Than Sim
liar Appropriations for Year.
1917-1s-General Budget $13,-
5oo,ooo,ooo.
The second session of the 65th |
Congress began at noon Monday with
brief routine sessions marked by the |
receipt of appropriation estimates for
next years war and ordinary expen-
ses aggregating the vast sum of $13,-
10000 900.
Included in that vast total is war
budget of more than $11 900, 900 600 |
to pay army and navy costs during
the fiscal year of 1919. This sum
represents only the strictly military |
expenses that can be estimated so far
IN advance and is more than two and
a half billion larger than similar ap-
propriations made for the year 1917
IL. So far as the estimates show it
|
tanning an army Of 100000 men and
carrying out naval and coast fortifi-
cation increase projects already au-
thorized.
The chief item in the budget is for
the military establishment of the ar
my to cost S6,615 1886, ,553, an increase
Of 81 1865 ,907 500 over the total of ar
my appropriations made at the last
session. The only means of determ-
lining the size Of the army provided
for is in the estimate of 81 ,8O3 1888 ,676
for pay. This is $159 ,294 $50 greater
than appropriations obtained last ses-
sion for the pay Of 900 officers and
1,208, 300 enlisted men of the line and
398, 900 enlisted men of the various
auxiliary corps. The estimate calls for
staff officers as follows:
General staff, BAT; adjutant gener-
aTs department, 2S1; inspector gener-
al, 246; engineers, 400; ordnance g.
600; quartermaster, $500; medical,
IA 900; judge advocate general, 800;
signal corps Gncluding aviation) H.,
With these large staff increases and
foreign service pay increases totalling
nearly $80,00O,00O also estimated for,
it appears clear that the total in
creases in the pay item does not cover
: any material extension of the origin
al military program of an army of
100000 men.
Fortifications estimates take Sec
ond place with total of So 1882 ,445,-
122, or an increase of s1,155, ,102 ,874
over appropriations obtained last
year. The navy is third with total
estimates Of 1,o39 ,86o,5o2, decrease
of 52,977 ,357. The naval figures
probably do not include, however, new
ships that will be asked for whenever
building facilities are available.
Striking items in Secretary Bakers
estimates are $5,116,O18 for addition
al civil employees at the War Depart
: ment, 100000 for the military in
! formation section Of the general staff
/ doubling the present app opria5iorZ
D 81, ,133, ,9O7 500 for the signal corps,
q which is 1899, ,172 ,648 in excess of the
B existing appropriation including the
q special $6AO,oO0,OOO aviation measure
Il s., ,224, 900 for army transporta-
tion and supplies, an increase Of
1924 100000 mostly for clothing anc
"A camp equipment; $28,755, ,991 for the
- purchase of cavalry and. artillery
: horses, a decrease of $37, ,355,000 ane
showing restriction placed upon uss
: of animals for the army in France
4
| $157, Ill 1894 for the medical depart
ment to include 100000 for nev
motor and ambulances, and $11 900,
900 for medical and hospital supplies
also $24,OOO,OOO for veterinarian sup
plies, the total being an increase 0
S26, ,331 ,294; $135,000 for enginee
equipment for troops, which include
the gas and flame devices, hand gre
nades and signal lights; 1892, 10000
for engineer operations in the fielo
an increase of $500, 100000 and cover
ing bridge, railway and road buildin
and operating equipment; $39O,OOO
900 for ammunition, an increase Q
$175 100000; $93 100000 for ordnanc
repairs, which covers the expenses Q
operating the great base arsenal
of machine guns; $75, $4,000 for al
mored cars. A new item of 81 500, 90
for arms and ammunition for tf
home guard and $6,018,000 is aske
to conduct civilian training camps.
For the military academy, a tot;
- of $5,713,254 is sought, some 1900
900 being for expenditure on built
ings and grounds.
= Secretary Daniels estimates for tt
navy show that the store Of guns ar
\ ammunition is rapidly being gathe
Y, ed and that estimates have been r.
duced in many particulars, under al
preparations received last year. tt
chief increase is in pay, the total b.
ing S213,299,551 against 1862 a.
Provisions also call for more at $64
485,353 against Sal $685.. Nari1
: corps pay estimates have risen to $2z
1870 against $13 3,531 ,802.
Naval avaiation calls for $4,000
O0O an increase Of. more than S3C
100000; for arming naval vessels az
merchant ships, 38,3O9,5 is aske
i o. orinc+ e7d SQ2 EO2. htainod d11rir