Evening star., 1923-12-10
War Department

disabled volunteer soldiers, s6114500;
total $S49,1s2,5s2. Budget estimate
for 1s25--War Department proper,
1922, 23s,731 Panama canal, 1920, 100;
national homes for disabled volunteer
| soldiers $3.50, ,10i; total, $sss,44l,0s2.
The amount estimated for the
| maintenance and operation of the
| Army WIFI provide fer 8 regular force
| of 1900 officers and a maximum of
$4,000 enlisted men, exclusive of the
Philippine Scouts, which is the force
now authorized by Congress The
| average enlisted strength provided
! Tor throughout the year is Iis1Se,
which is the strength the military
authorities expect to be able to main
tam in view of existing and antici-
pated conditions OF recruitment 1t
VIII also provide for the training of
| l2.oo0 reserve officers and 770 reserve
| enlisted men for period of Is days
anu ol6 reserve officers for a period
or more than Is days, as against a
! total OF 1900 reserve officers and 225
reserve enlisted men for 15 days and
olS reserve officers for period of
more more than Is days during the current
/ nScal year; for the attendance Of
! Z5,S0O men at citizens military train
| ing camps as against 2s,127 during
the current year; for a total enroll
! ment Of lls.ooe students in Reserve
Officers Training Corps units; and
| VIII enable the militia bureau to in
crease the strength of the National
Guard to 100000 officers and men and
| 70 maintain an average strength
/ throughout the year of 10000 as
against an expected average strength
| of 10000 during the current fiscal
year.
/ Provision for Active Posts.
! The budget estimate will also pro-
vide for essentials connected with the
maintenance and operation of active
military posts, camps and stations
; and, in addition. allows $I.l66,s50 for
| new construction: for necessary Army
i transportation, including the opera
for the purchase Of s.s4l horses and
mules FOR the Army to replace others
inoapacitated by old age: for the
! proper upkeep OF existing fortifica-
carrying forward of the general plan
for the protection OF the Panama
canal and the Hawaiian Islands,
| with increased facilities for the de-
velopment and manufacture Of air
. plane bombs. anti-aircraft guns and
ammunition.
) For the air service sle4s5,ooo is es-
timated. which is $1,000 more than
the appropriation for 1924 and, in ad-
appropriation OF sl,ooo,0o0 balance
remaining unexpended from the ap-
preparation for the fiscai year 1922.
For the United States Military
Academy funds are provided for es-
sentials connected with it's mainte-
nance and operation and, in addition
provision is made for the preparation
or plans and Specifications for a new
cadet mess hall, dormitories, cadet
store and drawing academy
! Funds recommended will care for
tne various regular non-military ac-
tivities OF the War Department., such
as national cemeteries, national mill
tary parks, national monuments and
memorials. and the Alaskan cable
system, including the completion of
the project for renewing the worn
out portions Of the latter.
For rivers, and harbors, $S7.0oo,0Oo
! is estimated for maintenance and Inn
| provement; also an additional $685.
81 viii be available from permanent
speers,,sIs speolfs and permanent indenits ap-
rivers and harbors the operation and
| care of canals, removal of obStruc-
| tions, etc, and a still further amount
| ESTIMATED at $s,000,000) to be con-
| tributed by local interests.
| For continuing the construction of
dam No. at Muscle Shoals an ap-
| preparation Of s7.0oo.0o0 is estima ted.
with a contract authorization Of
! $5,000,809 additional, and for the
work OF flood control on the Missis-
u
100000 is estimated.
Panama Canal Estimate.
The amount estimated for mainte-
nance and operation. sanitation and
civil, government of the Panama
canal and the Canal Zone. namely.
S7.24o. $50. exceeds the appropriation
for 1924 by s6s7.s57. The increase for
1895 over 1924 is due to provision of
FUNDS for construction of a new
power plant at Miraf1ores. which was
authorised by the act of March 2, 1928.
In the fiscal year 1924 and prior
years. the cost of hospitalizing Vet
erans' Bureau patients in the National
Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers
has been betrayed from Veterans
to the home. The appropriation ea &C,
OF March 2. 1928, for the War De-
partment for the fiscal year 1924 pro-
vides that
For the fiscal year 1925 and au-
the Board OF Managers OF the Ma
tional Home for Disabled Volunteer
Soldiers by the Veterans Bureau for
support, maintenance. and care of
world war veterans shall not be used
tions made for the support OF National
Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers,
but shall be covered into the surplus
fund Of the Treasury. and the budget
shall contain itemized estimates cover
ing the entire cost of the operation and
maintenance of the National Home
for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, in
Guiding the cost of maintenance, sup
port and care of beneficiaries OF the
United States Veterans Bureau In
such homes.
The amount estimated for 1925 In
excess of the appropriation for 1924
is In compliance with the above pro-
vision OF law.
Interest On the Public Debt
Appropriation for 1924, s940, ,oo0. 900;
budget estimate for 1925, $500. 900. 900.
The reduction of the estimate for
1925 under the appropriation for 1924
Is due to reduction OF the outstanding
principal Of the public debt.
Redemption of the public debt re-
ceipts-
Appropriation for 1924. $511, ,sss, ,125;
budget estimate for 1925. $482,277.975.
The differences between the ap-
preparation for 1924 and the estimate
for 1925 are an increase from $297,-
144,300 to $310,000,000 in the cumula-
tive sinking fund due to the require
ments of law that the appropriation
shall be increased each fiscal year by
the amount Of interest which would
on the debt redeemed through the
operation OF the sinking fund during
such year; and decreases from $10,-
000, 900 to $6.o00.000 for the redemp-
ton OF bonds and notes from estate
taxes, and from S60S99 500 to S23-