Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-01-10

some idea of the extensive character
of the operations:
''There have been purchased over
10 100000 blankets; 100000 yards
of overcoating and over 30,000,000
yards each of shirting flannel and
suiting, involving an expenditure of
over $780, 100000. In cotton goods,
! the department has contracted for
I25O,0 100000 yards of various. cotton
cloths.
Purchases are Vast
"Further idea of the size of pur-
Ichases in this department will be con-
lveyed by the following figures;
Purchases to December 20, 1917:
Winter drawers 25,000,000 pairs.
Winter undershirts 21,000000 pair.
Wooden gloves IL 900, 900 pair.
''Wool lightweight stockings 81.
100000 pair
d" Wool heavy weight stockings 2l-
100000 pair.
"Shoes purchased for delivery to
January l, 10,000,O00 pair.
''Shoes purchased for delivery Jan
uary June l, 100000 pair.
:" Cost, 100000.
/
partment in the supply section alone
made 1850 contracts covering 142 diff
ferent kinds of articles and aggregat-
Il ing a money value of $S00000,000.
Much Ordnance Ordered
ftOf the total war department ap-
preparations for 1918, $3,200,00o,0O9
was for the ordnance department. The
value of the products of all iron and
steel industries in the United States
in 1914 was 100000, 900, or less than
one third of the amount to be expend-
ed by the ordnance department.
! "Of this gigantic sum, the ordnance
department has already placed con
tracts amounting to $1,677 100000.
con the first day of April, 1917,
the ordnance department consisted of
81 commissioned officers, occupying
$4,000 square feet of office room III
Washington. 1t now consists of 1904
officers, occupying more than IA acres
of office floor space; and in addition
has 26, l20 enlisted personnel.
! "'The aviation section of the signal
corps on the first day of April, 1917,
consisted of 65 officers and 1920 en-
listed men. On the first day of Janu-
ary 1918, it consisted of 5000 officers
and 81, l20 men. ~
When he finished his statement, Ba-
! ker got cut long thin cigar and ask
| ed whether several ladies present OBJ
Ijected to smoking Assured they did
mot, he "lit up" Senator Chamber
lain began questioning BfIer about
the method adopted by the ordnance
department,
l. American Rifle Best
| Baker replied by taking up the sub
iect of rifles.
eeThe rifle made for the American
larmv is without doubt the best; tf5
tSpringfield rifle as modified, every
\ body agrees is the best in the world.
| Senator Weeks broke in, declaring
the statement the Springfield is the
best ''is very far from the fact. F"
Well, OF .,erse l can't talk to ev-
eAvbody in he world, said Baker.
''But everybody to whom l have talk
ed has agreed about the rifle. "
Chamberlain said one of the serious
criticisms against the ordnance de
lpartment was that it abandoned the
! old Springfield and didn t adopt the
British Enfield. which American fae'
tories We're making in large quantities.
'sThis criticism, said Chamberlain
q grows out eff the fact that men in
/ leantonments haven t got rifles yet.
Men Are Well Supplied
| Baker declared every man in can
ltonment who ought to have a rifle has
one.
II think YOU re wrong about that
! Chamberlain said. General Crozier
testified that it would be February ID
uef'ore all the men had rifles
"And | have letters to prove the
linen haven't all got rifles today,
said Senator Mcclellan.
| don't want to stress the point
said Baker. q think it's relatively
lunimportant.' y
! Baker declared criticism of the ord
nance department for ineffieieney was
not justified.
at ism ineffTeieney to get some
thing better than you started out tC
get. The war was not on us. 1t was II
Europe. We had time to make the nee
iessary changes to get British rifle
Meanwhile we had on hand an ade
quate supply of modern rifles for al
our troops
You saw the war was not on US,
broke in Senator Wadsworth. TT was
on us to an extent that made 1t neees
sarv to send men to France who had
never fired a rifle. I"
Baker declared there always ars
green men in new armies. Replying tc
Senator Weeks criticism, that "therG
was too much teehnieality, too little
pep" in getting rifles, Baker said