The sun., 1917-12-22
MISFIT SHOES
FOR ARMY MEN:
N00VERC0ATS
Equipment for 100000 of
First Lot Called Under
Draft Law Lacking.
SHARPE TELLS DEFECTS
Even Soldiers i'm France Had
Lightweight Coats and
- Some No Blankets.

'pe'"' beSbnVch 10 I'VE SCN.
WAsHiNGroN, Dec. cI--Far from be-
ing ready to equip a second Increment OF
the draft army. 1t was disclosed by the
senate investigating committee to-day.
with observation-disclosures Henry G.
Sharpe before it. that the War Depart
ment has been unable to equip the last
IL per cent of the men drawn In the
first increment Of $4,000 men.
II was developed by the committee also
that much Of the delay and confusion In
that although the country is engaged in
the greatest war OF history red tape
methods which have survived since the
civil war stiil.hold sway.
In answer TO questions from the com.
mittee members Gen. Sharpe said that In
order TO have anything passed on ema-
mating from his particular branch Of the
department II WIS necessary for II to 20
to the Adjutant General. thence TO the
Chief of Staff. from there to the War
circuitous route to his desk again, with
approval or disapproval Of the plan.
whatever II may bv. having been placed
on the document somewhere on its Jour
ney.
by that time the war would be over
Senator McKellar ,Tennessee) inter-
jected.
OvercOats Not Warm Enough.
In Gen. Sharpes testimony 1t was dis
closed also that thousands OF American
soldiers went to France with overcoats
81 per cent. lighter than those adopted
as standard after years OF experience in
trench fighting by the British and French
armies.
II was shown conclus,vely also that
several thousand American soldiers were
In misery for weeks. having been sup
piled with neither blankets nor over
coats.
Except for overcoats and a few other
winter garments. of which Gen. Sharpe
testified complete stocks would be in
camp by December 81, the General de-
clared there Is no clothing shortage.
Shoes were another item on which
the supply branch OF the War Depart
ment fell down. II was shown at the
hearing. a large percentage Of tho
American troops were equipped with
shoes too short for them. and some got
none. As result their training has
been retarded materially and their COM
fort absolutely gone.
Gen. sharpe said the average drafted
man OF the National Army has proved
to be so much larger physically than the
regulars and guardsmen. with whom
the Department has had to deal in the
past. that many Of the shoes and over
coats as well have proved useless. Manu-
facture OF the smaller sizes has been
stopped. hut the situation resulted in
some hardships for the drafted soldiers
before II could be corrected
Had 70 Double Up on shoes.
1t was brought out that at one camp
half Of the soldiers went to the target
range for small arms practice while the
balance Of the troop had to wait until
the first half returned and gave them
their shoes before they could take their
turn at the targets. This occurred at
Camp Custer, Mich.
Gen. Sharpe told in detail Of the vast
task 81 supplying the expanded war
army. He said he authorized thirty day
service equipment for 900. 900 more men
in February and March. and for another
500. 900 men in June. Orders aRgreGat-
ing many millions OF dollars were placed
before the war and without authorize =
tion OF a dollar by Congress. BY De-
cember 81. the General said. complete
supplies for 1,07s,Oo0 men would be on
hand.
Explaining how the supply situation
delayed the draft. he told OF the Depart
ment's desire to call on; all OF the nrst
6s7 900 men In September until he
showed II would be impossible to equip
them. He recommended all initial call
OF 100000 men. but more than 100000
were called. although the Department
knew clothing supplies would be some
what short. He approved this action. for