South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-12-30
WOULD GRAFT
THOUSANDS ON
SCRAP CLOTH
u. S. Narrowly Misses Signing
Contracts With New York
Rag Merchants, Hear
ing Shows.
Associated Press Service

Ae-NeldLtA IIeNN NtIhlNfs
WASHINGTON. Dec. 20 - The
senate war inquiry committee today
Investigated further the cancelled
scrap uniform cloth picking con
tracts let by the committee on sup
plies Of the council OF national de-
fense to the base sorting company Of
New York. and under which wit
nesses testified the company could
have made excessive profits aggre-
eating several hundred thousand
dollars annually
Charles EisemaG. vice chairman
OF the committee. who approved the
contracts. AID samuel Kaplan. an
other member OF the committee.
whose brother, it was developed, is
financially interested i'm the com
pany. will be summoned TO testi-
49,. IL was announced iu further in-
uuiry the committee proposes TO
make. IL was .urther developed to-
day that Kap,an's brother is treas
urer OF the company owning a.
Connecticut WOODEN mill cOmmau-'
deered by the government
Quartermaster Gen. Sharpe teSti-
fled that when the war depa atment
cancelled the contracts last Thurs
day both Eisrman and Naplan
protested. The government. Dee eN-
planned will take over tine work.
Blamcs Defense Council
I'M concluding today mis- testimony
leSarding clothing and other army
supplies. Gen. Sharpe placed re-
possibility for delay m securing
supplies of wool for army clothing
en- the council of national defense.
The councils committee. which had
taken over the question of wool sup
plies. the general said. recommended
use OF shoddy material in maNins
uniforms and delayed accepting raw
wool offered last April by Boston
dealers. No large purchases were
made until september after prices
had risen greatly. he said. sen.
Weeks told the committee he was
reliably informed that loss of
S150. 00o,000 10 the government re-
suited.
Replying 20 testimony yesterday
al commanders of Camps Bowie
Tex and Doniphan, okla, that
over Crowding of tents and back of
winter clothing caused deaths of
many men i'm recent disease epi-
denies. Cen. sharpe said the au-
thorities knew that tents would be
short for men suddenly called into
service. but that supplies now are
ample 10 reduce the tent quota from
to i've men. as recommended hy
surgeon Gen. Gorgas
Motor Trucks for Abroad.
Eeearding lack or motor trucks
Tor training men at the canton
Ments. Gen Sharpe said the de-
lartmeut's policy. not his own is
that trucks shall not be supplied
until the men so abroad Rolling
kitchens and many other vehicles.
Ge also said VIII not be furnished
until then under present plans. Com
mittee members voiced dissatisfac-
tlon with the plans. which. they
coutended viii prevent men from
securing proper training.
Questioned on the cloth scrap
contracts. Gen. Sharpe said he eS-
timated that the contract given the
sorting company az six cents a
pound would net the company 200
600 annually Capt A. T.. Fereless.
VINO investigated the contract. es-
timated the profits az 100000 year
lv. and also told of another CON
tract given the company. which
was said To- have but $4,000 capi-
tai for sorting elected and discarded
prmy ClothiuE Capt FereIess es-
tmated that this contract also can
ceued would yield very much
more" profits - S250.ooo "a year
from blankets alone.
Rag Merchants Accused.
That Charles Kaplan's brother
Ira A Kapian. was a member of the
nrm given the contracts. was testi-
ned 10 by Alexander IT. Kamins5y,
attorney FOR an association OF New
York rag merchants. who sought 10
do the WORK for the government.
lie said that he believed Eiseman
had acted in good faith. hut had
been hoodwinked by rag mer-
hants composing a com mittee ap-
pointed by the council 90 conserve
rag supplies Eiseman. the witness
-aid. took full responsibility for and
defended the contracts A clique in
New York. Kamansky charged was
interested in trying 90 get control
of the couutrys rag business He
also asserted that Charles Kaplan
knew all details connected with the
contracts given tho sorting company
and said the sis cent price for sort
Ing SCRAPS was excessive A good
profit could be made. ne said ON "a
price OF from one 10 three cents a
pound