The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-04-14
Canada Blazcs With Indigna-
ton Over Discovery of Serie.
of Scandals
Army of Middlemen
Got Big "Rake-ofs
Thousands Of Dollars In De.
iberate raft-Redeemins
Feature Is That No Member oil
Government Is Involved

Ottoawa. April i3.--Rcycia-
ttons OF graft on ~Case un-
rrecedented in the public life OF
the Dominion have dwarfed the
interest of conditions In the prog
ross of the war.
Acting upon orders from the
Government Ia intc~t z tie
charges without fear or iasor.
parliamentary committees have
brought to light n series of at
legged scandals, III connection with
the filling of war contracts that
have awakened blaze of the
fierCesl ignation from Halifax
10 Vancouver Although mimi
mized by the lower order of con-
-cryatise newspapers and highly
exaggerated ny extreme liberal
organs DESTROYS OF making po-
iitical capital against the Govern
mcnt. the facts found between the
two extremes of opinion disclose
am extraordinary condition of ar
fairs,
The redeeminE feature Of the attua
ton Is the fact that not breath OF
suspicion rests against a member Of
the Government. which seems to have
been the victim of patronage and
middieman system long in vogue in
Dominion party politics.
Army of MiddicmeB nj Ottawa.
According 10 the evidence sworn 10
before the committees. war had
hardly been declared before an army
of middIemen fell upon Ottawa and
rake offs" of thousands Of dollars
were made in the purchase Of trucks.
transport wagons. boots bicycles and
bandages The first instances OF al
legged deliberate graft brought To light
was the case uf f. r. Powell, a s14 A
week drug clerk. who, II was stated.
made 5000 IN excess of a reasonable
profit In a comparatively small order
for field dressings. II turned ont that
Powell worked in store IN which
w T. Garland. a -.cmber Of Parlia-
ment for Carleton, Ont. was the lead
ing shareholder, and that the order
was obtained through Garland's AL
legged influence and interference with
the officials of the department. OF
militia Threatened with prosecution
ny the Justice department, Powell re-
turned the $4,000
Not so Successful Elsewhere.
In obtaining restitution from other
sources the Government has not been
nearly so successful
In the case Of motor trucks ii has
been shown that those for the first
contingent cost approximately $1,000
each more than WAS | aid for those re-
CURED for the second and third COM
tingents notwithstanding that the
trucks were similar in every respect.
The extra $1,000 paid FOR every truck
brought for the first contingent are
alleged 10 have gone into the pockets
Of q Toronto agent Exarhltant
prices were paid also for motor tire.
and bicycles.
The investigation Into the purchase
Of field glasses has resulted In the
suspension OF leading government
official. Colonel Hurdmau. inspector OF
technical military supplies Ii has
been shown that glasses OF a decidedly
inferior make were passed by th'a
official that in one case real estate
agent was given a contract for large
supply on the recommendation of the
ottawa conservative member who con-
trolled the capitals patronage; while
in another instance All agreement was
entered into between two OTTAWA
dealers by which the inspector of tech
meal equipment was to receive 81 for
every hinocular in an order which
they hold for 400,