By way of preface, with your permission, I will endeavor to explain these estimates and at the same time desire to invite your attention to the fact that the amounts of the maintenance appropriations of the Quartermaster's Department, United States Marine Corps, as originally submitted for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1914, aggregae $3,086,937, or $145,080 more than the original estimates for this purpose submitted for the fiscal year 1913 and $48,080 more than was finally appropriated by the Congress for the latter period for such department. In the final revision of the estimates by the Navy Department the original estimates submitted by the Quartermaster's Department, United States Marine Corps, were increased by $189,000 to provide for 18 additional officers and 400 men, which makes a grand total of $3,275,937. The amounts recommended and estimated under each head are in detail as follows:

The CHAIRMAN. The next item is "Provisions." I notice that you strike out the words "Marine Corps." Is that simply verbiage that you are striking out?

Col. MCCAWLEY. Particular attention is invited to the change in the phraseology in which the estimates for the Quartermaster's Department have been prepared, the idea being to have only one appropriation, namely, "Maintenance, Quartermaster's Department, Marine Corps," instead of nine specific appropriations as is now the case. In other words, the appropriations Provisions," " Clothing," "Fuel," "Military stores," "Transportation and recruiting," "Repairs of barracks," "Forage," "Commutation of quarters," and Contingent" will be subheads, the total of such subheads to constitute one fund which will be disbursed and accounted for accordingly. If the proposed arrangement be enacted into law it is believed that it will seldom, if ever, be necessary to require for deficiencies for the Quartermaster's Department, Marine Corps, under ordinary conditions. For illustration in this connection, it may be stated that this department on June 4, 1912, requested deficiencies under appropriations "Military stores," "Transportation and recruiting," and " Contingent," under last year's appropriations (1912). There were ample balances under the several other appropriations due to unusual conditions prevailing at the time that would have been more than sufficient to counterbalance the amount of the defi

ciencies asked for, yet under the present law they could not be utilized. In the appropriations made for the support of the Paymaster's Department, United States Marine Corps, similar provision is made as herein referred to, and money appropriated for that department constitutes one fund, and it would be in the interest of efficiency and economy if the wording of the Quartermaster's Department appropriations be similarly enacted. It would greatly simplify bookkeeping in the Treasury, as under the system proposed it would only be necessary to keep account of one appropriation instead of nine, as under the present method.

If this legislation is enacted it would not be the idea to exceed the appropriations made under each subhead of "Maintenance, quartermaster's department," except in cases of special emergency, and these subappropriations would be administered exactly as they are at present. It is only to avoid the necessity for asking for deficiency appropriations when there are ample balances on hand that the above change in present methods is offered for consideration.

The CHAIRMAN. In other words, to make it a lump-sum appropriation?

Col. MCCAWLEY. Yes, sir.

Mr. HOBSON. With subdivisions?

Col. MCCAWLEY. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. But with no requirement as to subdivisions. Mr. HOBSON. Can you realize that result without any further wording?

Col. MCCAWLEY. The further wording appears at the end of the appropriation for the Quartermaster's Department, and the same wording is used that appears at the end of the Paymaster's appropriation, reading in this way: "In all, for the maintenance of Quartermaster's Department, Marine Corps, $3,275,937; and the money herein specifically appropriated for the maintenance of the Quartermaster's Department, Marine Corps, shall be disbursed and accounted for in accordance with existing law as maintenance, Quartermaster's Department, Marine Corps, and for that purpose shall constitute one fund." That is exactly the wording of the appropriation for the Paymaster's Department, as you will see by reference to the bottom of page 110, as follows:

In all, for pay of civil force, etc., and the money herein specifically appropriated for pay of the Marine Corps shall be disbursed and accounted for in accordance with existing law as pay of the Marine Corps, and for that purpose shall constitute one fund.

That has been the law for quite a number of years.

The CHAIRMAN. That is largely a matter of calculation; just the figures. Here are nine separate and distinct items: For "provisions" you submit an estimate of $923,000; for "clothing," $737,000; and for fuel," $169,000, but if you had a surplus in one item you could use it in another?

Col. MCCAWLEY. Yes, sir; just as the paymaster does now.

Mr. HOBSON. And your estimates each year would continue to have the subdivisions?

Col. MCCAWLEY. Yes, sir; and those subdivisions would be just as carefully estimated for and expended as at present.

The CHAIRMAN. But it would be one sum, which could be used for ny one of the items?

Col. MCCAWLEY. Under the paymaster's department there are various subheads of appropriation, and at the end of each one is stated the sum of money to carry out the intent of that subhead, running all along. "For pay and allowances prescribed by law for officers on the active list," $1,014,058; "For pay of officers prescribed by law, on the retired list," $181,677.50; "For pay of enlisted men, active list," $3,165,936; "For pay and allowances prescribed by law of enlisted men on the retired list," $150,759; "Undrawn clothing," $125,475; "Mileage," $58,500; "For commutation of quarters of officers," $44,500, and "Pay of civil force," $39.936.28. Those are the various subheads of the paymaster's appropriations, and at the end the provision is made that they shall constitute one fund, and shall be disbursed and accounted for accordingly. That is the law. Col. Richards has just explained to you that he was short $8,000 in his appropriation “Commutation of quarters," and he just took that amount out of the balance of the other subheads of his appropriation and thus avoided a deficiency. It makes a very simple way of keeping the books.

The CHAIRMAN. Your estimate for "Provisions" for the next fiscal year is $923,000, as against $825,000 appropriated for this year, an increase of $98,000. Please explain that item.

Col. MCCAWLEY. Of the increase asked for, viz, $98,000, $70,000 is required to meet the estimated cost of subsisting the men in the United States and in the possessions, based on expenditures for the past year, as shown by the attached itemized exhibit; and $28,000 (25 cents per man per day) is estimated to cover subsistence for the additional 400 men for a period of nine months, the assumption bethat all of the 400 men, if authorized, will be enlisted between July 1 and December 31, 1913, and that the average for the year will be 400 men for nine months. The contract prices of rations at posts vary, the minimum price in the United States being $0.2363 at Philadelphia, Pa., and the maximum $0.3711 at Key West, Fla., for the current fiscal year. The shifting of the men from station to station causes the expenses under this head constantly to be changing. For example: At Charleston, S. C., in December, 1911, there were 205 men; while in November, 1912, there were only 44 men. At New York, N. Y., in December, 1911, there were 329 men; while in November, 1912, there were only 121 men. At Philadelphia, Pa., in December, 1911, there were 624 men; while in November, 1912, there were only 400 men. Expeditionary duty, November, 1912, 1,632 men.

If the complement of a post where the ration is low in price is reduced, and the complement of a post is increased where the maximum or intermediate price prevails, there naturally will follow an increase in expenditures, or vice versa, and for that reason it is impracticable to give a closer estimate. There may also be expeditionary forces ordered to field duty in foreign territory which, further increases expenditures, but which can not be anticipated, as such conditions are extraordinary, though the experience of the last few years shows they must be looked for.

For instance, during the current fiscal year, three expeditions for foreign field duty (two to Nicaragua and one to Santo Domingo) have sailed from the United States, and it is more than likely that a deficiency under "Provisions, 1913," may have to be provided for,

the amount of which it is unable to state at this time, as large quantities of rations were procured and shipped with these expeditions and an unusual expense not anticipated was thereby created. It is more expensive to subsist troops away from home. As near as ascertainable at this time it has cost about $175 per day more to subsist the 1,632 men of the expeditions referred to above than it would cost if the men were at their regular stations. Only one of these expeditions, viz, the Santo Domingo, has returned, after an absence of 73 days. The actual expenditures, according to the records of the Quartermaster's Department under this head for the fiscal year 1911, were $851,322.17, since which time the corps has been increased in strength by 400 men (act of Aug. 22, 1912). The unexpended balance under this head for the fiscal year 1912 is about $25,000, which, however, is not a true balance as there will be belated bills to come in reducing if not entirely exhausting this amount. The average monthly strength of the corps for 1912 was 9,376, or 145 men short of the authorized strength, which accounts for the absence of a deficiency. Estimates must be prepared with a view to a full complement and it is understood that at the present time the strength is practically complete and will be so maintained.

Estimates for fiscal year 1914, Quartermaster's Department, United States Marine Corps.

Mr. HOBSON. May I interrupt you, Colonel?

Col. MCCAWLEY. Certainly, sir.

Mr. HOBSON. Has the contract price of rations varied considerably in recent times?

Col. MCCAWLEY. Yes, sir; it varies each year. It has been steadily increasing.