Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1918-04-18

The war trade board has granted
licenses for raw cotton to Spain In
quantity sufficient to load several
Spanish vessels. This action pro-
vides cotton necessary to fill the nor
NAL requirements Of the Spanish
mills.
Under the agreement with Spain
that nation permits free export to the
allies Of certain commodities in re-
turn for which the United States per-
mits, so far as consistent with its con-
servation policies, the export to Spain
Of necessary supplies Of cotton and
other commodities to cover genuine
Spanish requirements.
Congress has authorized $2,034, OOO,-
600, Of which sum $1,135, 100000 has
been appropriated, for the United
States shipping board and Emergency
Fleet corporation on March 1, $685.
247,95537 Of this sum had been ex-
pended. The Emergency Fleet cor
porat1on had requisitioned March 1,
425 steel vessels and contracted for
72O steel vessels, making a total Of
1,145 steel ships Of an aggregate dead
weight tonnage Of 9,164,508 tons; it
had let contracts for 400 wooden YES
sells, aggregating approximately 1,715,-
600 lightweight tons; it had repaired
and put in operation 788,OOO dead
weight tonnage seized from Germany
and Austria. On March the build
ing program of the Emergency Fleet
corporation was being carried on in
Isl plants.
Among the purchasers of the quar-
termaster's department are 81 100000
pounds Of prunes and dried beans;
273,OOO,OOO cans of tomatoes, con-
densed milk, and baked beans; 49,
100000 yards Of mosquito bar; 49,
100000 yards of olive drab; 2O,000,-
600 wooden blankets; 100000 pairs
Of heavy stockings; 100000 wool
coats. The ordnance program in
cludes the purchase Of 100000 hand
100000 revolvers, 100000 projectiles
for heavy artillery, 427, 246,00O pounds
of explosives, 100000 machine guns,
and 2,4S4,O00 rifles.
A war emergency course to train
selected men for machine-shOp occu-
pations, blacksmithing, sheet-metal
working and pipe fitting has been
prepared by the federal board for vo-
cational education and will be distrib-
uted to the schools throughout the
country. 1t is known as Bulletin
No. s.
The board is acting with the war
department in preparing these courses
of study and in dealing with the state
authorities In charge of the school
work.
Recently there has been consider
able discussion through the press and
at public meetings in Australia con-
corning the ACCESSIBILITY Of producing
more beef cattle and sowing less
acreage to wheat, according to a re-
port to the department Of commerce.
Several hundred submarine chaSerS,
built since the war, have been deliv-
cred to the navy by 81 private con-
Germs and six navy yards; many of
these boats have crossed the Atlantic,
some in severe weather.
Through a card catalogue system
109,487 men have been transferred
out of army divisions into technical
units to function according to indi-
Vidual educational, occupatiOnal and
military qualifications.
There are now four times as many
vessels in naval service as q year ago.
The estimated pay Of officers and men
in the navy for the first year of war
was S125,OO0,O00.
The Norwegian government has APP
propriated 100000 to assist inten-
sive agricultural development. OF
this amount, $4,50OOOO is to maintain
low maximum prices for cattle feed
and fertilizer.
New japanese concerns numbering
over 100 are reported as having en-
tered business at Shanghai during
1917. The Japanese population is rap
idly increasing, now being about A.
900.
During II months the army hospit-
ais increased from to 60 in number
and from 5000 to 58,4O0 beds; 10000
more beds are being added.
More than 10000 acres of land in
this country has been planted with
castor-bean plants to produce oil for
aircraft.