Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 68, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 November 1918 — BILLION DOLLARS SAVED [ARTICLE]

BILLION DOLLARS SAVED

SECRETARY BAKER CANCELS $1,336,000,000 WAR CONTRACTS. Aircraft Work Is Stopped for Big Saving—Demobilization Plans Are Made. Washington, Nov. 22. —Savings through war department readjustment orders, including cancelation of contracts, are estimated at $1,336,000,000 by Secretary Baker in a letter read to the senate by Senator Martin of Virginia, chairman of the appropriations committee. “On contracts which have been let, but upon which no work had as yet been done,*’ Mr. Baker wrote, “cancellations aggregate a saving of $700,000,000. “An order’ was made on the 11th of November cutting out all overtime and Sunday work. The amount saved by this order aggregates about $2,900,000 a day. “In the bureau of aircraft production orders have been telegraphed stopping all production on a large number of items, including planes of various types, engines, and special instruments, which aggregate an estimated saving of $225,000,000. "In addition to the foregoing plans have been made to begin the demobilization of the forces under arms in this country and to begin returning at once to the United States such portions of the armed forces abroad as are not needed for the purpose of occupying enemy territory. How rapidly it will be possible for us at present to return soldiers from overseas cannot be immediately determined.”