Midshipmen are subsisted in a mess at the Naval Academy, for which an allowance of 75 cents per diem per midshipman is allowed. Nurses are subsisted in the hospital mess at the hospital to which attached, at an allowance of 70 cents per diem per nurse. Prisoners are subsisted in a prisoner's mess at actual cost of ration. Enlisted men and naval reservists are subsisted at actual cost under a number of different plans, which vary according to conditions, viz, messes, commuted rations in hospital messes, per diem allowance for quarters and subsistence for men where messing facilities are not available or when temporarily away from inesses. SUBSISTENCE, MEN, IN KIND Admiral CONRAD. This item covers the subsistence of 100,166 enlisted men in kind, furnished by messes and by commuted rations. It is estimated that the average number of enlisted men in 1939 will be 107.785. Of this number, 2,156 will be subsisted as sick in hospitals, 3.671 will be detailed on detached duty and furnished quarters and subsistence allowance, 220 will be absent from messes on temporary duty, and 1,572 in hospital messes. Appropriation, 1938, 94,897 men at $171.55 less $329,359 net_ : Base. The details of the estimate as compared with the appropriation and revised estimate for 1938 are as follows: Estimate 1939, 100,166 men at 49 cents, $178.85 $17,914, 6N 414,430 Net amount for rations in kind and commuted rations................... 17,500,23 RATION COST The appropriation for 1938 provided for a ration cost of 47 cent per day, or $171.55 per annum. The allocation for 1938 provide for a ration cost of $0.475 or $173,375 which includes the adjustmen between the price of drawn and undrawn poultry. Under instruc tions issued this cost will be included in the cost of the ration beginning with the fiscal year 1938. Mr. UMSTEAD. You have indicated by the statement you have just made an adjustment of the ration cost by adding thereto the cost of loss on undrawn poultry. Admiral CONARD. That is correct. Mr. UMSTEAD. Are there not other losses which it would be jus as logical to charge against the ration cost? Admiral CONARD. This particular loss had been in past years, in system previously adopted, expended as a direct loss at the time the poultry was bought and consumed. We have since come to the conclusion that it is a proper charge to the cost of the ration rathe than a transitory loss of provisions. Mr. UMSTEAD. What have you accomplished by it except to mak it appear that losses are less than they are? That has the effect o making the cost of the ration higher by including the cost of provi sions which the men do not consume at all. Admiral CONARD. I think the method that was formerly in effec was incorrect. Poultry can be bought drawn or undrawn. Mr. UMSTEAD. Under the item applying to losses you requeste for the current year, or were allowed, $275,000. You are now re questing only $139,455. Your expenditures in 1937 appear to hav been $316,497? Admiral CONARD. Yes, sir. Mr. UMSTEAD. Now, the decreased amount which you are not requesting does not mean that your losses are expected to be a less in 1939, does it? Admiral CONARD. NO. Mr. UMSTEAD. Then, how are you going to make up the differen in the loss unless you add it to the cost of the ration? Admiral CONARD. Well, the viewpoint that we take it up from is hat what was formerly considered a loss under this heading, "Loss f provisions," included this undrawn poultry differential, which we ow think was not properly a loss. It was simply the difference in he price of poultry bought in one way against another way of ving it. Mr. UMSTEAD. Then you simply transfer it from this loss item of Admiral CONARD. No, sir. Mr. UMSTEAD. You have simply shifted your method of paying your ass? Admiral CONARD. Yes, sir. It is apparent that unless prices of foodstuffs are reduced, the mount available will not be sufficient, as the estimated average cost f the ration for the fiscal year 1937, including the cost of the adjustent on undrawn poultry, is $0.4855. The estimate for 1939 is calculated on a ration cost of 49 cents, inluding the adjustment on undrawn poultry. The increase is due to he estimated increase in the cost of the components of the ration. The cost shown for 1937 includes adjustment for undrawn poultry. The cost of the ration depends upon the cost of the component parts. n 1933 the wholesale prices of foodstuffs reached the lowest point. The index of foods show as follows: It is impossible at this time to predict with any degree of certainty market conditions that will prevail during the fiscal year 1938 and 939. COMPONENTS OF RATION FIXED BY LAW Mr. UMSTEAD. Admiral, I believe that the components of the ration for enlisted men are fixed by law? Admiral CONARD. Yes, sir. Mr. UMSTEAD. And the price per ration is determined by the market rice of the components which the law requires to be included in the -ation? Admiral CONARD. That is correct. Mr. UMSTEAD. Then, if you have a certain number of enlisted men, under the law fixing the components of the ration the cost of subsistence for enlisted personnel becomes a matter of arithmetic? Admiral CONARD. That describes it exactly. Mr. UMSTEAD. And there is no way it can be reduced under the law except by reducing the number of enlisted men? Admiral CONARD. Or, possibly, by markedly reducing the quality of the food. We might be able to get much cheaper food, but that would not be in accordance with our duty. SUBSISTENCE OF MIDSHIPMEN The next item is "Subsistence of midshipmen." This item covers the cost of subsisting midshipmen entitled to rations at 75 cents per day. Appropriation, 1938, 2,289, at $273.75 ($626,614-$15,505) Decrease, 75, at $273.75___. 1 Base. 20,532 The decrease is due to a decrease in numbers. The appropriation for 1938 provides for 2,289, as compared with 2,214 in the estimate for 1939. The reduction of $15,505 is the estimated difference between the cost of subsistence at the Naval Academy and the cost of subsistence on board ship for the midshipmen on the practice cruise. When on the cruise the midshipmen are subsisted on enlisted men's ration. Mr. UMSTEAD. This decrease is brought about by reason of the fact that you expect to have a smaller average number of midshipmen at the academy during the fiscal year 1939 than you had in 1938? Admiral CONARD. We expect to have 75 less. Mr. UMSTEAD. The allowance of 75 cents per day is a matter of law? Admiral CONARD. That is a matter of law entirely. SUBSISTENCE OF PRISONERS The next item is "Subsistence of courts-martial prisoners." This item covers cost of subsisting general court-martial prisoners : The estimated number of prisoners to be subsisted in naval prisons 3 as follows: The estimated cost of this ration is 40 cents in 1938 and 1939. The number of prisoners on May 31, 1937, was 139; 99 whose enlistment had not expired, and 40 whose enlistment had expired. The Total was approximately 1.40 per thousand enlisted men. 1.40×111=156. SUBSISTENCE OF NURSES The next item is subsistence in kind for nurses. This item covers the cost of subsisting nurses in kind in naval hospitals and on board hospital ships. The estimate for 1939 is 70 cents per diem. 1938 appropriation, 321 minus 15, Veterans' Administration equals 306, at $255.50. 1909 estimate, 321, minus 15, Veterans' Administration, equals 306, at $255.50- Base. Three hundred and twenty-one of the 415 nurses for 1938 and for 1939 will be subsisted in kind at naval hospitals and on board ships. The cost of subsisting 15 of these is reimbursed by the Veterans' Administration. Mr. UMSTEAD. Admiral, the allowance per day for nurses is fixed by law Admiral CONARD. Indirectly, it is fixed by law. Nurses are subsisted in the same hospital mess as the sick, who are allowed 70 cents per diem in the Naval Act. |