The Washington herald., 1918-05-23
Seven Billions in Cash and
Contracts Asked of
Congress.
19 BILLIONS FIGURE
FOR LAND FORCES
This Amount Indicated in
Request Made Yes
terday.
PRESENT ARMY STRENGTH
SET FORTH BY CALDWELL
Total Exceeding Two Million Of
6cers and Men Now in u. S.
Uniform.


folded his tremendous ordnance pro-
gram in submitting to Congress an
estimate of $7.1ls.562.466 in cash
and contracts.
In addition to the s11, 90. 10000
army appropriation bill, almost
ready to be reported favorably by
the House Military Committee, the
rgures of yesterday indicate a pro-
gram of almost $4,000, 100000 for
land forces.
OF the sum asked yesterday. how
sFel Baker informed Congress that
he xpects to disburse only $1,000
tee DO by March 4 next, when the
IEc = mt Congress expires. The rest
= IN contracts which he asks to be
afipfged to close, and on which he
VII make payments as the work
prosresses- .-..
3iIIioa For Discretion. -
asked a lump sum of $1,000
~ 90 to be spent. without item
a. on. in his discretion. II this
~ oproved by Congress. it will be
q largest sum ever thus voted an
@- al. dwarfing the 100000. 900
retionary fund to the President
IN at the time of its proposal
..-- wide opposition.
Baker explained that he. was ask
ing only $500. 100000 in cash be-
cause he intended, as fast as the
contracts which he asks to be al
lowed to close. are being filled. to
apply to Congress for additional
cash appropriations. Thus. he said.
tax and bond money would not be
taken from the public until abso-
luteIy necessary.
This immense budget goes to the
House Appropriations Committee for
action. Many of its items have been
gone over one by one with the COM
mittee already. Chairman Sherley
has announced that, although the
committee is friendly. it will re-
serve the right to trim estimates.
This is taken to mean that Secre-
tary Baker may be asked to give a
full account of his discretionary
billion.
Some Large Items.
The largest sums which Baker asked
are:
Small arms ammunition sos. IS6, ,991.
Small arms repairs. $3jO. .299 so.
Small arms. target practice, $S4,075,-
rs.
Manufacture or arms. s9O7. .32i. G2a
Machine rifles. sS37. 7.7e6,0OO.
Armed cars, s272, Il, 500.
Field and siege cannon. S1.O63. 131. .ll9.
Ammunition for cannon, s.. .7O1. .394, f37.
Altering artillery, So. Sc. .S34.
Ammunition tests, SIs020s275.
Unspecified purposes, $l.O0o. .OOe.Oc
Hope Quicker Production.
The COMMITTEES expects that the con-
tracts which Baker asks to make
may proceed more rapidly than he
has expected. now that manufacturer
has been speeded up generally. II is
obvious. said several members, that
much of the sums asked will be on
buildings in which to turn out sup
plies. rather than the army materials
themselves 1t is expected IS months
will elapse before the entire sum will
be spent and the materials turned
over to the government.
The War Department caused to be
published yesterday, through Repre-
sentative Caldwell of New York, an
administration member of the Mill
tary Affairs Committee. a report Civ
| ing credit to those responsible, for
military activities and achievements
up to the present time.
Let me frankly say we have made
mistakes" said Caldwell, but Amer
lea has done more in less time than
any of our allies. in preparation. She
has raised a greater army in less
time. and now holds a greater Sec
ton Of the lines, transporting more
forces 5000 miles across infested seas
than England was capable of doing
IN twelve months across a sO-mile
thannel.
Actual Army Figures.