Evening star., 1940-05-16

~~e~S "~~@~ 40 WAC RNA OAA06C6 Vi l}CW
equipment, including airplanes,
tanks, anti-aircraft guns, artillery
and other items. Fourteen per cent
Of the total went to replace or mod
ernize worn out or obsolete equip
ment. Fire per cent went into main
tenance Of equipment and ammuni-
ton. The remainder went into pay,
clothing, rations. subsistence, travel,
maintenance Of Army posts, building
construction and similar items.
1.66 for New Equipment,
For 1888 expenditures amounted
to $402, ,000, 900. Despite the increase,
the Army was able to spend only
1.66 per cent Of the total for addi-
tional new equipment, and expen-
ditures for replacements and mod
ernization remained at IA per cent.
During the past fiscal year, with
total appropriations of $455, 900 900,
the expenditures for new equipment
increased to per cent, those for
replacements and modernization fell
on to 1875 per cent, while those for
maintenance Of equipment and am
munition increased to SIS per cent.
Expenditures for the current fiscal
year will show, for the first time.
substantial increases In the alloca-
tion Of the funds provided by Con-
gress. Total appropriations and
obligations amount to $685., 900 900
and the ALLEGATION for new equip
ment will increase to "a per cent of
the total, including the great $780,
100000 Army Air Corps expansion
program. The gains for new equip
ment ale partially at the expense of
requirements and modernization, as
only 9 per cent of the total this year
will be for that purpose. ALLEGATIONS
for maintenance Of equipment and
ammunition also fall of, to SO
per cent.
The great bulk Of Army expenses
are due to the fact that the United
States takes excellent care of it's
personnel, it was pointed out.
Whereas the pay of enlisted men
in the European armies averages
only IS cents a month, the average
pay Of the Army enlisted man in
this country is $39 a month. Amer
ican soldiers are better fed, better
clothed. better housed and are given
better medical care than those OF
other nations.
The United States also spends
more in proportion for its equip
ment because of compliance with
wage-hour laws and other standards
which do not apply abroad, it was
pointed out. This makes for an
expensive army.
Navy Makes Figures Public.
To illustrate where Navy appro-
priations have gone, the Navy De-
partment made public figures for
the past three fiscal years, as illus
trative of the defense trends in
recent years.
In 1887 appropriations, both reg
ular and deficiency, for all naval
purposes totaled $3.50, 1882. OF
this total, $155, ,O08, ,729 went into
construction of new ships, exclusive
of emergency funds for shipbuilding,
which amounted to $25, ,513345 addi-
tionaL For maintenance of the
Navy ashore and afloat, expenditures
were 1929. 41s,s97. plus an emergency
total Of $920,573. Pay of the Navy,
including subsistence, transportation
and other personnel items, totaled
$l77 $50, 1865.
For 1898, appropriations totaled
$53O,7l0,450, Of which $178,7l6, ,262
went into construction of new ships;
1862 ,073 SAT into maintenance of the
Navy: $l2,369 ,036 into emergency
ship construction; $17,798 into emer-
gency maintenance, and $751;, ,181 ,399
into pay of the Navy.
For the last fiscal year appro-
priations totaled $592 ,15O,744, of
which $222, ,484, ,222 was for new
ship construction, 1914, ,797,873 for
maintenance. $4,225, ,083 for emer-
gency ship construction, $6s, ,0O8 for
emergency maintenance and $l97,-
9l7,436 for pay.
Naval appropriations for the
current fiscal year total 1891 ,O84, =
504; total national defense appro-
priations for this year are 81 ,297,-
600 900, according to the Budget
Bureau.
Gains Made by Army.
Under the New Deal the Army
has obtained an increase, accord
ing to the Budget Bureau, of 1900
airplanes; 100000 men in the Reg
ular Army; $4,000 in the National
Guard and nearly 10000 in the Re-
serve; $500 motor vehicles; TOO
tanks, armor cars and combat cars:
400 anti-aircraft guns and 750 anti
tank guns.