Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-05-07

place and reminds one of the country
grocery store. There one glmpses
scrub brushes. paste brushes. heesWaN,
all kinds of desk supplies, pen racks,
sponge cups. red sealing wax. ink
eradiCator. stepladderS. buckets sand
paper. rubber dating stamps, pads for
the stamps, etc. In this room. which
seems to he given over wholly to odds
and ends of everything under the sun,
the committee keeps accepted samples
of all articles that have not been
awarded upon specification alone All
articles for the government are sub
mitted by contractors if Uncle Sam so
desires. The committee has the right
to retain accepted samples during the
life of the contract if il is thought
best
1t is deemed advisable to test a large
number of these samples. The bureau
of standards tests scientific appa ratus. en-
gineering and electrical equipment and
hardware the bureau of mines passes
on fuel used by the government: soaps
are tested by the bureau of chemistry
even chewing tobacco is passed ON by A
man in the Department Of the Interior He
chews sample after sample faithfully.
with a keen relish for his work. and the
sample he Judges best is chosen A sup
ply of this particular brand of chewing
tobacco is sent ont TO the Government
Hospital for the Insane
In the general supply committees
schedule of twenty classes the second
class comprises hardware, metals. etc.
1t is curious to note few of those
articles in use by Uncle sam which are
included under the hardware. There
are several kinds of baskets. among
which are wicker baskets and market
baskets; axes, noes. avis, hooks. as
bestos, every kind of a tool. aXles,
grease, SOAP. etc.
Uncle Sam is addicted to pins and
finds use for nine different varieties.
The ordinary standby, the good old
nj hat bar.
the purpose of the proletariat nor too
humble to aid kings, is purchased in
abundance. The push pin and the safe
~ pin. the insect and the clothespIn. the
escutcheon and Photographic pin and
still others are listed among the gov
ernmentS real needs
Before the committee took contract
ing for government supplies under it's
wing there were go kinds of pencils
in use in the departments. Now there
are but eleven classes used.
All dry goods have advanced in price.
and under dry goods come broadcloth.
all kinds of wearing apparel boots.
shoes. hosiery, window shades, cloth
bags and the towels and flags mentions
ed. There appears to be no remedy
for this advance. The country is told
that soldiers are using all the feathers
for boots and shoes
Here is an incomplete list of curious
and indiscriminate things for which
Uncle Sam asks and which still
crawling up in price: Whips. buttons,
rat traps, rings. coke. teeth eXtractors,
cigars, aprons. handanna handker-
chiefs. courtplaster, apples, liquors,
pictures. chewing gum, lumber. sar-
saparilla. pots and pans. pickles. pun
and nursing bottles.
At. the time of its organization the
general supply committee faced rigor-
Gus opposition, but so ably has il done
its work and so tirelessly has il striV-
en- to overcome opposition that it
might enlarge the scope of it's work
advantageously. so some of those most
interested believe. 1t is suggested that
it be given the authority to do the
purchasing as well as the contracting
for supplies.