Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-12-15
Scandal Is Stirred Up IN
Chamber of Deputies
During Hot Debate.
POLICY is ATTACKED
Officials Criticised for Pat
ronizing Concerns Bleed
ing the Government.

Paris, Dec IA, 7:30 p. m.--tDelayed)
During the debate in the chamber Of
| deputies today severe criticism was
made of relations between the war
ministry and certain individuals who
are selling supplies to the govern
ment 1t was asserted the ministry
had dealt with persons whose sole oc-s
cupation hitherto had consisted In
/ frequenting pleasure resorts at night
and there picking up customers. These
| persons, it was said, were regarded %
worthy to furnish shoes, clothing and
cannon.
| Deputy Julien Antoine Simyan said
/ this was scandal0us and even criminal
and that government official who. be-
I ing informed of the facts, declined To
strike the guilty persons, became an.
accompiice.
Paying Too Much.
/ NJ. Simyan asserted proper precau-
lions had not been taken and that ex-s
cessive prices had been paid for sup
plies He then referred to certain pa
pers in regard to the dealings with a.
aeroplane company which he said
would not be found at the ministry
OF war.
/ An attack was then made by NJ Sim
van on those who are conducting for
private gain enterprises described a.
obo ritohia Ono woman ba said haA
been condemned 81 times for this Of
Tense but was still operating, not
withstanding the fact that the first
magistrate OF the republic had de-
manded that her activities be ended
Usual Custom Violated.
Another abuse the deputy continued,
consisted in paying large sums on ac-
count, in violation of the usual pro-
cedure, when contracts for supplies
were signed. He asserted that for one
year officials had been discussing
what action should be taken against :
contractor who owes 100000 francs
fs400.000) to the government.
irregularities Hinted.
N. Simyan continued his attacks on
contractors needless Of numerous dep
Iuties who attempted to interrupt him.
He demanded that the chamber compel
Joseph Thierry, nder-secretary OF
state. for support to throw open
Ibis files bearing ON these affairs, az
sorting that many interesting facts
concerning purchases Of war supplies
had not been brought to light. He
said 10000 horses had been purchased
from an English dealer for about 60,-
900 900 francs. Information regarding
this transaction, he said, had been
furnished by a man named Debray,
who according to the deputy's infor-
imation, received a fantastic commits
sion.
Inquiring now has developed the
fact, he continued, that this intermed-
larry was no other than the Marquis
Crevecoeur, former associate of Henri
Rochelle, who fed to Mexico after be-
ing convicted and sentenced to prison
on the charge of swindIing.
The French ambassador at London,
NJ. Simyan continued, had made a re-
port on the activities of certain per-
sons there who were endeavoring to
obtain illegal profits from the govern
ment. The ambassadors report, he
said, concluded with the statement
that it would be well if the minister
at Paris established belief that he was
compelled to submit to the action Of
these persons without profiting there
from
In the purchase. of horses alone, M
Simyan continued, purchases amount.
ing to several million francs had been
paid. He characterized this as scan.
dalous and said M Gaillard Of thu
army had demanded searching IN.
: lvestigation.