New-York tribune., 1918-01-11
Secretary Bakers Statement
Before the Senate Committee

S2O3,000,000; for the fiscal wear 1917
S4oo 600, 900; for the fiscal year 1918
$7,527 ,338,716. In other words, takinp
1910 as a normal year, the appropria.
tlons for 1918 are nearly fifty times as
great. 90
r, The regular appropriations made BY
congress tor all governmental pur.
poses poses tor the fiscal year 1915 were
?o2O'oOO,O00, or nearly nc-tenth the
1918 appropriations for the War De-.
partment alone.
"Of the total War Department an
propriations for 1918 $4,000, 100000 was
Tor the Ordnance Department., Of which
contracts amounting to 81 SIT 900 ,OOC
already have been placed.
On April J., 1917, the Ordnance De.
partment consisted of 81 commissioner
of1lcers, while now it consists Of 3.OO4
9off1ccrs, and, in addition, 26,12O en-
listed personnel
In addition to the selection and
framing of this new force, the making
OF these great contracts and the follow
up necessary in the manufacturing
processes continuous study of new,
weapons and instrumentalities has
oeen Kept up, constant contact kept
with trained men abroad studying tie
operation Of ordnance material in
battle, and accordingly modifying de-
signs and plans here by reason Of OBJ
servation and experience.
Many OF the classes Of ordnance ma
teral requiring to be designed, speci-
hcatlons drawn and contracts let were
wholly unfamiliar to our normal mill.
tary practices. The trench warfare ma.
terlal alone involves commitments OF
$262, 100000.
MANY of the Ordnance Depart.
ment's contracts involve increase OF
plant facilities or the construction OF
new plants, and constant inspection by
inspectors who have had to be trained
in specially established schools.
"For the quartermaster general:
department in 1918 S3,01S,00O, 200 was
appropriated, or a sum more than -four
times as great as the 1915 appropria.
tions for all governmental purposes.
"On April there we're BAT officers ir
the Quartermaster Corps. On January
L, 1918, there was total Of 6,431
officers.
"On January 1. 1918, nearly two bill
ION dollars of the appropriation hac
been obligated by contracts or dsburse
ments.
"This business involved accounting
determlnatlons .of standards, prices
quantities and the creation of new
manufacturing 1aclllt1eS.
'ln the woollen goods section alone
the cooperation of over 300 mills was
involved, and the following items give
some idea of the extensive characte,
Of the operations: There have beer
purchased over 19,0OO,O0OO blankets
20,000,0O0 yards of overcoatng, anc
over 30,0Oo,000 yards each of shirtine
flannel and suiting, involving an ex
penditure of over $345, 900 900. In cot
ton goods the department had con
tracted for 250,00O,0OO yards of variou:
cotton cloth.
"The aviation section of the Sigma
Corp on April l, 1917 consisted of sixty
five officers and 1.120 men. On Januar,
S2,120 men.
"This division of the War Depart
ment was charged by Congress will
the expenditure Of an appro priatior
aggrcgating for 1918 $744 ,0OC 900, o,
fvc times the 1915 appropriation fo1
the entire War Department.
"Thc engineer department, fo
which in 1917 s53O00,OoO was appro
priated. was charged by the 1918 ap
preparation with expenditures of $500,
t00O0O, or about 700 per cent increase
There have been organized. trainee
and equipped technical troops o
struction and operation men, aggrc
eating about 10000, many of whom
have been operating in France TO
some months"
In summing up the War Depart
ment's work the Secretary gave tn
following as its chief accomplish
mcnts:
81. A large army is in the field and
in training-so large that further