Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-01-11

strength aggregated 272 900 men and off,
GERS. The army now in the field and in
training is, therefore, roughly six times as
great as the maximum number under arms
in the Spanish American war.
The total number already in the military
service is one and half times as large as
any force ever modified by this nation.
"A substantial part of our military forces
was selected by the operation of draft law.
the execution of which has demonstrated
both the economical and the efficient way Of
selecting soldiers The law itself was drawn.
its execution carried TO a successful conc!u-
sion, and the theory of the law. novel to our
people. explained and made popular, because
OF its demonstrated fairness both in plan
and execution.
For the training of officers two series OF
training camps were held, from which about
$4,000 officers were commissioned from CIV
ii life this force is nearly eight times as
great as the number of officers in the reg
ular army on the first day of April.
For the training of the soldiers, 16 can
comments have been built, costing S134,0oo,-
900. with an average profit to the contract
ors Of 2.9S per cent.
The death rate in our forces in the
United States from mid-September to the end
of December, averaged 10 per thousand, and
is slightly less than would have been the
death rate of men of the same age at home.
In 1898 the death rate per thousand was
2014, or nearly three times as great. Our
death rate in the army during the year 1916.
just before the war, per thousand.
Leaving out the deaths due to measles and
its complications. our rate among all troops
in the United States, since Sept. l, has been
about two per thousand.
For the fiscal year 1915. Congress ap-
propriated for the war department s15s,-
100000 for the fiscal year 1916, $685.
600 o00 for the fiscal year 1917, S403,-
600 900 For the fiscal year 1918. $7,527,-
33S,7I6 In other words, taking 1915 as a
normal year, the appropriations for 1918 are
nearly so times as great.
The regular appropriations made by
Congress- for all government purposes for the
fiscal year 1915 were S72O. 100000. or near
ly one-tenth the 1913 appropriations for the
war department alone.
"Of the total war department appropria-
tons for the war department alone.
OF the total war department appropria-
tions for 1918. $4,000, 100000 was for the
ordnance department, of which contracts
amounting to S1,617 ,OOo,0 900 already have
been placed.
"On the first day of April, 1917. the ord
nance department consisted Of 81 commits
stoned officers, while it consists of 1904
officers and in addition has &C. 20 enlisted
personnel.
'In addition to the selection and train
ing of this new force. the making Of these
great contracts and the follow-up necessary
in the manufacturing processes continuous
study of new weapons and instrumentaities
has been kept up, a constant contract kept
with trained men abroad studying the OPP
Grafton of ordnance material in battle and
accordingly modifying designs and plans
here by reason of observation and expert
ence
MANY of the classes of ordnance materi.
al requiring to be designed, specifications
drawn. and contracts let, were wholly unfa-
mliar to our normal commitments of $2S2..
900 600
MANY of the ordnance departments con-
tracts involve increase of plant facilities, or
the construction Of new plants, and constant
inspection by inspectors who have had to be
trained in specially established schools.
For the quartermaster generals depart
ment in 1918, S3,01S 600, 900 was appropri-
ated, or a sum more than four times as
greta as the 1915 appropriations for all gov
ornamental purposes.
'On the first day of April there were
$41 officers in the quartermaster corps.
On the first day of January 1918, there
was a total of Gi31 officers.
.
nearly TWO billion dollars of the APP
preparation had been obligated by con-
tracts or disbursements.
This business involved accounting,
determinations of standards, prices.
quantities and the creation of new
manufacturing facilities.
In the wooden goods section, the
cooperation of over 300 mills was in
Volved and the following items give
some idea of the extensive character of
the operations: There have been pur-
chased over 100000 blankets; 10000, :
600 yards of oVercoating and over go
ooo,ooo yards each of shifting flannel
and suiting, involving an expenditure
over $34o,ooO00. In cotton goods the
department had contracted for $3.50 900, :
600 yards of various cotton cloth
The aviation section of the signal
corps on the first day of April, 1917,
consisted of 81 officers and 1920 men; on
the first Of January. 1918, it consisted
OF 1900 officers and s., 120 men
ms division of the war depart
ment was charged by Congress with
the expenditure Of an appropriation ag-
gregatlng. for 1918 S744 900, 900 or five
times the 1915 appropriation for the en-
tire war department"
The engineer department for which
in 1871. $53,000000 was appropriated
was charged by the 1918 apprcpria-
tons with expenditure of 1896. 900 600 or
about 700 per cent increase.
There have been organized, trained
ana equipped technical troops of for
esters. stevedores and railroad con-
Stfucllon and operation men, aggregat-
ing about 10000 men. many of whom
have been operating in France for
some months"
The Chief Accomplishments
In summing up the war departments
work the secretary gave the following
as Its chief accomplishment:
IA large army is in the field and
IN training; SO large that further in
crements to it can be adequately
equipped and trained as rapidly as
those already in training can be trans
ported