The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1918-06-20

negotiated approximately lz,VOV CON
tracts since this country entered the
war. involving within $175,O00,OO0 OF
the total funds directly available for
the department tor the present fiscal
years., 3S3, 2SG, O45. Additional CON
tracts totaling $I,503, 703, TAI have been
entered into on the authority of con-
gress pending appropriation of an
amount aggregat ing $1,671. 468, 100.
The magnitude of the task Of the
ordnance department financially is evil
denced by the disbursement recently In
a single day of more than $25.OO0,000
on ordinary contract vouchers. Dis
bursements for the month Of April,
1918, ran to 1856 BS4, 1888, an interesting
amount as compared with the $5,050,-
264 disbursed by the ordnance depart-
ment In April, 1917. These disburse-
ments were made at the ordnance Of
fee 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,OOO. One re-
QUESTION made recently by this same
officer on the treasury was for $780,
100000. This is the largest single reQui-
| sition ever made by any United States
disbursing officer.
Prior to two months ago, before the
ordnance department established its IL
district Offices which zoned the country
| to expedite payments to contractors
and relieve the strain upon the main
ONCE In Washington, the disbursing
officer at Washington signed from 800
to 5000 checks a day.
| Because of the instruction OF gas Of
ficers who have been ut the various
camps for the last six months, the
troops which are going forward to
France are well 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 in this country since last
summer. One OF these men has been
at each of the training camps, advising
and assisting the division gas officer.
ALI the men going overseas are sup
piled with gas helmets. Under the d.
vision gas officers and their 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 were
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 d course Of about one
month. Most OF the gas officers are
commissioned first lieutenants.
One of the interesting Development
Of the war, according TO statement
authorized. by the war department. Ia
the rapid expansion Of the various bu-
reaus of the war department. At the
than 5000 employees on duty. The
number now Is approximately $4,000
an increase Of 8D0 per cent. While this
/ represents a tremendous expansion
the increase in the army itself has beer
more than 1900 per cent.
Only four out of every 100 officers
In the service were In the army ut the
!. | <fxv.n <hm hdvau
, The gas defense service II now manu-
, featuring about 5000 horse gas mask
per day. These are being sent Il
, France. and 1t 10 expected that within
: short time every horse connected
with the American expeditionar,
| forces win be equipped with the new
masks.
; The gas defense service has com
. pletely equipped factory for the manu-
, facture OF the masks. In less thar
, three weeks a building was selecte,
i and the factory was producing masks
' The introduction of riveting machiner.
has done away with the heavy han,
: sewing Of the frame which support
|. the masks on the faces Of the horses
/ The masks are 80 constructed that n
: metal or chemically impregnated part
/, can chafe the horse.
ia |
In Bavaria the monthly meat ratio
! has been cut 20 per cent--from 100
4 to 800 grams--according to Germal
= newspapers. The monthly meat ratio
In Saxony has been reduced from 30
), to TOO grams. Public officials are n
!, ported In the Prussian press as discus
sing the possibility Of further redut
ton of the bread ration in Prussia.
!, A Munich paper reports that froz
, the beginning of the war to March
!. 1918, Bavarian hog stocks have d.
- | c~co .oa Frcxn . f0a Q1o <<. yaa cor 49,.