Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-01-11
ARMY OF SUBSTANTIAL
SIZE Is NOW IN FRANCE,
Secretary Baker Recouns Countrys Marvellous Military
Progress and Makes Vigorous Re-
ply to His Critics.

Gold aud in training is. therefore,
roughly six times as great as the max
mum number under arms in the Span
ish American war.
'"The total number already in the
military service is one and a half times
as large az any force mobilized by this
nation.
The death rate in forces in the
United States. from mid-September to
the end OF December, averaged rs per
1000, and is slightly less than would
have been tho death rate Of men Of
the same age at home" tho secretary
said. I'm 1898. the death rate per 1000
was 2o.14, or nearly three times as
great" he continued.
Our death rate in the army during
tn, year 1916. just before the war was
S per 1000. Leaving out the deaths
due to measles and its complications.
our rate among all troops In the
United States. since September /, has
been about 2 per 1000.
For the fiscal year 1915, Congress
appropriated for the War Department
$15s, 100000; for the fiscal year 1916.
i2o3,o 900: for the fiscal year 1917,
t4o3, 900; for the fiscal year 1918,
s7,527.33S.7ls. In other words. taking
1915 as normal year. the appropria-
tons for 1918 are nearly nifty times as
great.
The regular appropriations made by
Congress for all government purposes
for the fiscal year 1915 were $780,
100000. or nearly one-tenth the 1918
appropriations for the War Depart
mcnt alone.
"Of the total War Department appro-
pr:ations for 1913. @3.20o,o0o,o00 wa,
for the ordnance department, OF which
contracts amounting to sl.s77, 900. 900
already have been placed"
Many OF the classes of ordnance
material requiring TO be designed,
specifications drawn. and contracts let.
were wholly unfamiliar to the coun-
try's normal military practices. The
trench warfare material alone involves
commitments OF S2s2, 00o, 600. Mr.. Baker
said.
For the quartermaster-Eencr de-
partmcnt In 1913, S3,ols.oo0,0 900 was
appropriated, or d sum more than four
| times az great as the 1915 appropria-
lions for all governmental purposes.
On the LIST OF January. 1918. nearly
$4,000. 100000 of the appropriation had
been obligated by contracts, or dis
burscment.," said the secretary. This
business involved accounting, dctermi-
nations of standards, prices. quantities
and the creation OF new manufactu--
Ing facilities.
EXTENSIVE CHARACTER
OF OPERATIONS SHOWN
I'm tho wooden goods section alone
the cooperation Of over 800 mills was
involved and the following items give
GONE idea OF the extensive character
Of the operations. There have been
purchased over 10000, 900 blankets. 90.
100000 yards OF overcoatinC, and over
/ 100000 yards each of shifting fan
I mel and suitinE, involving an expcndi.
,ure OF over ;345.ooo.Ooo. In cot,or
goods the department had contracted
+ for o5o.ooo,ooo yards OF various cotton
cloths"
/ The aviation section OF the signal
corps on the first day Of April. 1917
consisted OF siAty-fivc officers and Lice
men, MIR. Baker said. On the first day
Of January, 1913, IL consisted OF $500
officers and S2,l20 men.
This division OF the War Depart.
ment was charged by Congress with
the expenditure OF an appropriation
aggregating. for 1918. s744,ooo.ooo, or
five times the 1915 appropriation for
the entire War Department.
The engineer department. for which