The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1918-12-11

WAR DEPARTMENT EXPECTS
TO SAVE Many BILLIONS
Through Cancellation of Contracts
by War Department
GIVES FACTS AND FIGURES
Disbursements to Date in America
S9,168,000,000 in France
$1,1G8,O00,000.

%btAooSVootOoVs
Washington, Dec. 9-Secrctary
Baker told the Senate, finance COM
mittce that through contract cancel
lation the War Department expects
to save approximately $7,25O,OO0,
of the $24,281 100000 voted by Con-
gress for the army during the war.
Earlier in the day the House ap-
preparations committee, which is in
vestigating to determine what part
of war appropriations can be returned
to the treasury, made public a state
mont from Mr.. Baker showing an
estimated saving of about twelve bill
lions of dollars or nearly half the
total appropriations.
Chairman Sherley explained later,
however, that this estimate was made
some time ago and that revised fig
urcs furnished by the War Depart
ment showed an estimated saving of
about seven billions of dollars.
"Of necessity the figures change
from day to day." explained Mr..
Sherley, "but it would seem that
something more than seven billions
of the appropriations for the army
could be converted back into the
treasury.
The War Secretary told the Senate
finance committee, members of the
committee said, that Congress will
need to appropriate only about ST.
loO,O0O,0O0 to cover contracts made
under the $8,000,0 100000 Of authoriza-
tions provided by Congress and for
which no actual appropriations have
been made
The Secretary's statement to the
House appropriation committee said
the departments disbursements to
date in the United States total So
100000 and those in France ST.
168.000.000.
Contract Cancellations.
Contract cancellations already made
by the department exceed $2,6OO,OOO,-
COO, Mr.. Baker said, classifying these
among various industries, including
the following.
Powder $275,O00,OOO, artillty $780,
10000, motor vehicles 1882 900 900,
textiles $264, 900, airplane parts $780,
100000, gas defense equipment $780,
100000, contracts for rifles, shoes,
harness, rubber goods, chemicals,
barbed wire and steel and iron prod
Ucts aggrcgating millions of dollars
also have been cancelled,
Forty per cent of the cancellations
have been divided among States, Mr..
Baker said, enumerating those in
Massachusetts as amounting to $751;
100000, Michigan $143 100000, Con-
necticut 55,000,000, New York. Penn
sylvania, Ohio and Missouri $99,OOO,-
600 each, Illinois and Tennessee $685.
100000 each, Indiana $44,O00,O00, New
Jersey $25,300,000 Rhode Island, Wis
consin, Maine, New Hampshire and
Minnesota $11 100000 each, Maryland
50, 100000, Virginia $5,5OO,OO0 and
California $4,400,000.
Preparations for the cancellations
of army contracts were undertaken
before the signing of the armistice,
said Mr.. Baker, relating to the con-
tcrences on this question held with
the war industries board or Novem-
Der 9.
Manufacturers working on con-
tracts that are to be completed Sec
rotary Baker said, had been assisted
in many instances by permission
given for civilian orders to take pre-
cedence over government orders.
The army, he said, has "powder in
excess of its needs"
the Secretary added, "as to how to
SIole lnc amount OF powder ana hlSh
explosives which we have"
Most construction work of the War
Department was stopped soon after
the signing of the armisticc, Mr..
Baker told the committee.
Contracts for purchases in England
and France, he said, are also being
cancelled and orders to cease work on
many projects were given by Gen.
PcrShinp before hn recoiypJ cin,ilor
orders directing such action from the
War Deartment.
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