Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-02-08
AIMED AT BRODRICK
Criticism of the Purchasing Depart
ment of War Office.
CONTRACTORS REAP A HARVEST
How the Fresh Meat Contract
Was Hawked About.
VOLUNTEERS DISGRUNTLED

LONDON, February s-The apparent
incompetence and. it is claimed. possible
dishonesty which permeate the purchas ng
departments Of the British army as re
vealed this week in parliament, have
caused public agitation that augnrs i'll
for the war Office. Judging from recent
and promised disclosures, scarcely any OF
the supplies for the army in South Africa
were secured on business principles. Specu-
lating contractors are now known TO have
made hundreds of thousands of pounds by
reselling contracts.
The opposition vainly endeavored To get
details regarding the new contract for The
supply Of meat. announced by the gov
ernment In the house of commons with
the view of ascertaining IL a saving over
the former methods will really be effected
The government successfully avoided an
swering, but the Associated Press under
stands that the contract in question WAS
first resold at f1o.aa premium and then
at 10000, while Cecil Rhodes and the De
BEERS group handed over f2e0N 800 ami thus
nEally secured the privilege Of supplying
the troops in South Africa with fresh
meat.
Storm Gathering Over Brodrick.
These figures are likely to be published
here soon, and when known will doubtless
add fuel to the fire OF public indignation
which threatens to center around the Sec
retary for war, Mr.. Brodrick as viciously
as it did around Lord Lansdowne when
the latter was sponsor for the carly
blunders Of the war. A dozen or more
committees of investigation are now sitting
or are in process of formation. but. as the
Saturday Review says these are only
too often synonyms of oblivion
The fact remains" adds the Saturday
Review, that We have been swindled on a
very large scale
While these stringent criticisms of the
war Office are being publicly aired there is
proceeding beneath the surface "A revolt
which threatens to he of even greater i'm
portance. The leading authorities OF the
volunteers, including many OF the com
manders of the best known regiments. sev-
eral of them being titled persons and near
ly all wealthy, are holding frequent meet
ings to decide on the best method of defeat
ing Mr.. Brodrick's new volunteer regula-
uons. The committee which Mr.. Brodrick
appointed to hear the grievances only ag-
gravated matters.
How He Tricked the Comm n aders.
The commanders of the leading regiments
had previously formed themselves into a
deputation to walt on Mr.. Brodrick, and he
temporarily declined to see them, but the
secretary for war stole a march on the
members of the deputation by announcing
in the commons that he had appointed a
committee of his own, in which not one Of
the deputation was included. His action
created intense telling among the members
of the original deputation, who privately
declare that the new volunteer regulations
and the dead head committee" were intro
duced for the sole purpose of making con-
scription possible.
The colonel of one of the London resi-
ments said to a representative of the Asso-
ciated Press: We know Mr. Brodrick
wants conscription, though perhaps in a
modified form. If his ideas win the day
the volunteers will gradually cease to be an
effective force and will thereby supply the
war office with its strongest argument in
enforcement of the Old ballot laws. Rather
than see that come about we intend to break
up our regiments. L have a letter from a
distinguished nobleman, urging me to take
that course and many other commanding
officers contemplate disbanding their regi-
ments'