Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-12-22

ships for the drafted soldiers before
II could be corrected
or food, General Sharpe stated, and
the committeeman assented. II has
been ample and of fine quality. No
complaints regarding food, he said.
had been received.
Committee members stated. tonighr
mat the investigation of Questions re-
iated TO the quartermaster generals
oitlce had only begun with today's
nearing. Can''nment locations and
contracts, f.tatipn, the relation OF
the winter clothing shortage t. recent
disease epidemics and transportation
OF the army by rail and water are sub
jects to b. taken up later.
furtHer ilnuiry was POSTPONED
over Christina, h1wevad. (5s1.ral
Sharpe 2e!ng cNcus,d untN next
"t4ne1dly. To"orrow tho committee
VIII ro'urn briefly to ordnance prog
lens by examining Col Isaac Lewis
inventor Of the Lewis machine gun,
otter which ho,ilay ,cccss will be
taken
General Sharpe ted IN detail OF the
vast task of supplying the expanded
war army lie sait he authorized so
aay service equipment for one million
more men In February and March. and
Tor another half million men in June.
O!aers aggresating many millions OF
doilarS were placed before the war
ana without authorization OF q dollar
ty congress.
December 81, the general said.
complete supplies for l,07S,O00 men
would be on hand.
Draft Delayed.
Explaining how The supply situation,
delayed the draft, he told Of the de
partments desire to call ou, all of
the first $4,000 men in September
until he showed 1t would be intpu.-
sihle to equip them. He recommended
an initial call OF one hundred thou
sand men. but more tnan three hun
dred thousand were called. altho the
department knew clothing supplies
would be somewhat short. He APP
Proved inns action. for reasons which
were explained In executive session.
Reports reaching the committee Of
men freezing their ears at Camp Gus
ter Mich, and Of shortages of winter
oVercoats, other clothing ana shoes,
at both Camp Custer and Camp Lee.
va. caused the general TO say he
would inquire into conditions imme- !
diately by telegraph.
The part played by the advisory
commission Of the council of national |
defense In the letticE of army con |
tracts was rigidly inquired into by the |
committee. Some of the senators in |
sisted that the quartcrmaster general |
virtually has been denuded OF power |
IN placing contracts or fiXin6 prices, !
but General Sharpe said this was not |
true, and that civilian committees to |
cooperate were absolutely essential |
he suggested modification Of the pres
snt plan along lines similar to he
English system.
There was much questioning about
red tape" in the war department.
General Sharpe said he has suggested
'hanges to Secretary l;aker to secure
modern business methods
Regarding the present army ration,
which General Sharpe said cost 20
ents day as compared with 2S cents
'efore the war, he declared that its
uccess in building up men "to go
yer the top has been demonstrated
rom the surgeon generals office for
eduction of its meat and sugar con-
ent TO save money.
Initiative Lacking.
Senator Hitchcock cited an instance
# delay In the war departments con-
liberation of a new device to furnish
lot food TO front line trenches. He
aid that the present device is a ten
allon fireless cooker, too big to get
hru the narrow trenches.
so the men have had to use cold
ood hard tack, etc." he added, al
ho last September n small. cheap de-
ice was submitted to the depart
lent and not tried until November. ,
hat is Just one of the many instances
re are hearing about of lack of initia-