Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-08
BASE, THE CRITICISMS
UPON INVESTIGATION
Part of the Trouble Charged to
Parsimony of Congress.
LACK OF FUNDS POINTED OUT
Changes in Handling Bids and Con-
tracts Are Recommended-N
of Central Warehouse for
Supplies Indicated.

Scattering praise and blame with lavish
hand. the Redfeld investigating subcom-
mittee of the House District committee
made long report yesterday afternoon
20 the House of Representatives. AS
the result of year of investigation into
the business methods and purchasing sys-
TENS of the District government. made
principally by Representative William {
Redfield of New York. the House of Rep
resentatives is informed that many of the
glaring faults found by the committee
may be laid to the parsimonious appro-
priations for the District by Congress.
The Commissioners are scored in no un-
certain terms for sticking to certain
forms in purchasing thousands of feet
of fire hose. and the direct charge Is
made in the report that for some reason
Or other the District Commissioners are
excluding all bidders except subsidiary
company of the rubber trust
The board of education is commented
on another page for using medieval busl-
on another page for using medieval busi-
ness methods. The appropriations COM
mittee of Congress are told that meaSer
allowances for janitor service In the
schools have resulted in obtaining men
with little or no scientific knowledge OF
modern heating plants. resulting in the
loss of many times tens of thousands OF
dollars" The business methods of the
Office of the board of education are
severely criticised. However, many OF
the troubles of the board are laid to the
door of the appropriations committee of
Congress.
ssIr,o~1.rD - nf Ride -
The Commissioners are criticised for
method whereby certain style or jug
Cling of bids and contracts is allowable.
The assistants to the Engineer Commits
eioner are brought into the report as
having too much power over the accept
ance of bids. One District officer, Marion
Hargrove. purchasing agent. Is accorded
unstinted praise in the report for the ex-
ceIlence of his department.; although other
departments are mentioned fayorably and
unfavorably. almost in the same para
graph. Recommendations for changes
are made by the subcommittee, composed
Of Representatives Redfeld of New York.
johnson of Kentucky. Oldfield Of Ark
ansas, George Of New York, Lobeck of
Nebraska Sulloway Of New Hampshire.
Dyer of Missouri and Berger OF W1scOn-
Sin.
me report was written by Representa-
tive Redfeld who conducted the hear
Ings last session. The testimony fills
several large volumes.
The report says in part:
The purchasing officer, upon whose
work attention necessarily was largely
centered, has been particularly frank and
helpful, showing marked sympathy with
the purposes and spirit of the investiga-
ton and cooperating in every possible
way with the subcommittee. The off1-
ciaIs of the board OF education, the pur-
chasing officer, the municipal architect
and others. as the testimony shows, put
into effect before this report was pre-
pared some of the suggestions which
arose in the course OF the inquiry. The
subcommittee regret that other officials
have taken a less praiseworthy course.
Findings of the Subcommittee.
"The subcommittee finds that the work
under the charge OF the purchasing officer
Is. where the same is entirely under his
control, We'll done the business methods
on the whole are good, the records clear
and the results satisfactory. Comparison
OF the cosc OF operating this department Mt
with that of similar offices in other cities
and with different government depart
ments shows favorably for the District" b"
The report condemns in no uncertain
terms the practice of the assistants to the
Engineer Commissioner in overruling the
recommendations of Marion Hargrove.
purchasing officer. The power TO turn
down such recommendations was given to
the two army officers who act as assistant
engineer commissioners. by the board of
Commissioners in an order dated April j,
1911.
This power Is one that should not
have been granted says the report,
and which should be taken away and
the responsibility placed upon the pur-
chasing officer where il belongs
The Commissioners exclusively should
have the power to Overrule the purchas-
ing officer. III the opinion of the subcom-
mittee.
The system by which purchases are
made for the District allows species OF
juggling o. contracts by shrewd con-
tractors. according to the report
Methods in Contracting.
The subcommittee further finds:
That the receiving of alternate bids
under Il published specification withou,