McNairy County independent. (Selmer, McNairy County, Tenn.) 1902-1969, 1918-06-14

NAs 'oeoiihS @l,ouo, Iu5,l4l nave been
entered into on the authority of con-
gress pending appropriation of an
amount aggregating $1,671, 466, $50.
The magnitude of the task of the
ordnance department financially is evil
denced by the disbursement recently in
single day Of more than 500, 600, 900
on ordinary contract vouchers. Dis
Dursements for the month of April,
1918, ran to $3.50, 1884, 1858, an interesting
amount as compared with the $685.
264 disbursed by the ordnance depart
ment in April, 1917. These disburse-
ments were made at the ordnance Of
flee in Washington. Amounts dis
bursed at government arsenals are not
included.
One check recently drawn by the ord
nance disbursing officer for ordnance
material was for $1S,750,O0O. One re-
QUESTION made recently by this same
officer on the treasury was for $780,
100000. This is the largest single requi-
sltion ever made by any United States
disbursing officer.
Prior to two months ago, before the
ordnance department established Its IL
district offices which zoned tie country
to expedite payments to contractors
and relieve the strain upon the main
office in Washington, the disbursing
officer at Washington signed from 500
To z 600 phpckS a dov
Because of the instruction of gas Of
ficers who have been at the various
camps for the last six months, the
troops which are going forward to
France are we'll posted on methods of
combating gas attacks, says a state
ment authorized by the war depart
ment. A group of British gas officers
has been 10 this country since last
summer. One of these men has been
at each of the training camps, advising
and assisting the division gas officer.
All the men going overseas are sup
piled with gas helmets. Under the d.
vision gas officers and thei. assistants,
the men are drilled In the use Of
masks, taught how to detect the pres
ence of gas, and given actual expert
ence with different sorts of gases.
Mimic gas shells and cloud attacks,
used often at night in connection with
high explosives, help to make the train
Ing realistic.
The United States has been able to
build ON the experience Of the British
and French. to whom gas attacks We're
unknown when they entered the war.
No American troops have been sent to
the front without practical experience
in defending themselves against gas.
The training of instructors in gas de-
tense includes a course of about one
month. Most Of the gas officers are
commissioned first lieutenants.
One of the interesting developments
of the war; according to statement
authorized by the war department, is
the rapid expansion of the various bu-
reaus of the war department. At the
outbreak Of the war there were less
than 5000 employees on duty. The
number now is approximately 25,000,
an increase of 800 per cent. While this
represents tremendous expansion,
the increase in the army itself has been
more than 1900 per cent.
Only four out Of every 100 officers
in the service were in the army at the
time the war began.
The gas defense service is now Ranu-
featuring about 5000 horse gas masks
per day. These are being sent to
France, and it is expected that within
q short time every horse connected
with the American expeditionary
forces will be equipped with the new
masks.
The gas defense service has COM
pletely equipped factory for the manu-
facture Of the masks. In less than
three weeks building was selected
and the factory was producing masks.
The introduction of riveting machinery
has done away with the heavy hand
sewing of the frame which supports
the masks on the faces Of the horses.
The masks are so constructed that no
metal or chemically impregnated parts
can ehafe the horse.
In Bavaria the monthly meat ration
has been cut 20 per cent-from 1000
to 800 grams-according to German
newspapers. The monthly meat ration
in Saxony has been reduced from 800
to 700 grams. Public officials are re-
ported in the Prussian press as discus
sing the possibility Of further reduc-
ton Of the bread ration In Prussia.
A Munich paper reports that from
the beginning Of the war to March 1,
1918, Bavarian hog stocks have de-
creased from 2,106,312 to 768.391 head.
The Danish hog census shows de-
crease from 1.851,0 900 hogs July II,
1917. to $4,000 December 5. 1917, or a
decrease of one-third the number at
the beginning of the war.
The restriction on the Importation OF
crude rubber has been followed by re-
strictions on importation of four COM
modities possessing some of the char
acteristics of rubber, and capable I'M
der some circumstances Of being used
as substitutes for natural rubber.
Acting on suggestion of General
Pershing an order has been issued In
creasing each regiments band from %
to 80 members. Band leaders having
had more than Eve years military ex-
perience as band leaders will be made
first lieutenants those with less than