Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-01-10
rHuRsDAY-THE ROCK ISLAND ARGUs-JANUARY 10. 1918


contracts amounting to $1,6H,00O,ooV
already have been placed.
ION the first day of April. 1917. the
ordnace department consisted OF "
commissioned officers while now II
consists of 1904 officers. and. In addi-
ton, has 26,l20 enlisted personnel.
Study New Weapons.
I'm addition to the selection and
training of this new force. the maxi
ing of these great contracts. and the
followup necessary In the manufac-
turing processes, continuous study
of new weapons and instrumentalities
has been kept up, constant contact
kept with trained men abroad study
ing the operations Of ordnance ma
terials In battle, and accordingly mod
flying designs and plansf here by rea-
son of observation and experience.
MANY of the classes OF, ordnance
material requiring to be designed,
Specifications drawn and contracts let.
were wholly unfamiliar to our normal
military practices. The trench war
fare material alone involves commit
ments of 1882 100000.
MANY Of the ordnance departments
contracts involve increase OF plant Ia
cilities, or the construction Of new
plants, and constant inspection by in
spectors who have had to be trained
ESPECIALLY established schools.
Quartermaster Corps Grows.
"For the Quartermaster generals
department in 1918, $3,018. 100000 was
appropriated.
"On the first day of April there
were 347 officers in the quartemaster
corps On the first day of Janaury,
1918, there was total of 6,431 officers.
ION the first day of January. 1918,
nearly two billion dollars of the ap-
preparation had been obligated by
contracts, or disbursements.
This business involved accounting,
determinations of standards, prices,
quantities and the creation of new
manufacturing facilities.
I'm the WOODEN goods section alone.
the cooperation Of over three mills
was involved, and the following items
give some idea of the extensive char
acter of the operations; there have
been purchased over 100000 blank
cts, 100000 yards of overcoating and
over 30,00O,OO0 yards each of shifting
flannel and suiting, involving an ex-
penditure of over $345, 900. In cot
ton goods the department had con-
tracted for 250,0O0,000 yards of vari-
Gus cotton cloths.
Aviation Takes Jump.
1.-THE aviation section of the signal
corps on the first day of April, 1917,
consisted of 65 officers and 1,120 men.
On the first day of January, 1918, it
consisted of $500 officers and S2,120
men.
This division of the war department
was charged by congress with the ex-
penditure of an appropriation aggre-
eating for 1918 $744,OOO,000.
"The engineer department, for
which in 1917 $53,OOO,O0O was appro-
priated, was charged by the 1918 ap-
preparation with the expenditure OF
$500 ,000, 900, or about seven hundred
per cent increase.
There have been organized, trained
and equipped technical troops of for
esters, stevedores and railroad con-
struction and operation men, aggregat-
ing about 10000, many of whom have
/ been operating in France for some
months
Shows Big Accomplishments.
In summing up the war depart
ment's. work the secretary gave the
| following as it's chief accomplish.
mentS:
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 a.
those already training can be trans
ported.
"2-The army has been enlisted ani
selected without serious dislocation O.
the industries of the country.
"3-The training of the army is pro
ceeding rapidly and its spirit is high
The subsistence of the army has beer
above criticism; its initial clothins
supply, temporarily inadequate, is nov
substantially complete and reserve.
will rapidly accumulate. Arms of thu
most modern and effective kind-in
GLIDING artillery, machine guns, auto
matte rifles, and small arms-havt
been provided by manufacture or pur
chase, for every soldier in France, ant
are available for every soldier who
can be gotten to France in the veal
1918.
"A substantial army is alread,
in France where both men and officer.
have been additionally and special,