Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-01-03
EiSenman and kapIan Defend
Work in Giving Out Army
Supply Contracts for De-
Tense Committee.
PARTICIPATION IN
PROFITS UNSUITABLE
Weeks Uses Harsh Language
in Rebuking Statements
Made During InveStiga-
ton,
mv ~oRarNo Jou,n.l SPECIAL Leased w'"sl

tnV noRNINo JOURNAL SPECIAL Leased "lRsl
Washington, Jan. Army supply
contracts given through the supplies
committee of the council of nahonal
defense to concerns in which com
nittee members are interested were
investigated today by the senate MILL
tary committee.
Charles Eisenman, vice chairman of
the supplies committee, and retired
clothing manufacturer of Cleveland,
and Samuel NJ Kaplan of New York,
one of the dollar-a-year volunteer
members, were the principal wit
nesses. The latter's testimony was
confined almost entirely to contract
with the Base Sorting plant, Inc, of
New York, in which his brother, Ira l.
Kaplan, has third interest, for sort
ing army clothing scraps, which was
said to promise profits of 100000 an
nually. The contract recently was
cancelled.
Eisenman Praises Work.
Work of the supplies committee was
highly praised by Mr.. Eisenman, who
said it had negotiated orders for sup
plies worth $S00,000,000 for the quar-
termaster generals office. He de-
>
approving contracts with firms of
members, explaining that in such
cases interested committeeman were
excluded from the negotiations.
Senator Mcclellan wanted to know
if this was not an evasion of the law,
hut Mr. EiSenman insisted that the
ommittee's practice was followed TO
conform to the law. The committee
members, Eisenman stated, were Sc
lected from men in the business who
had proven successful, and that con-
tracts with their firms We're made be-
cause full use of the countrys manu-
featuring facilities was necessary.
Called Down by Senators.
Both E!senman and Kaplan had
lively clashes with committee mem
bers. Senator McKellar admonished
the latter who emphatically resented
having his motives impugned, to speak
respectfully, and Senator Weeks heat
edly declared he was about as impu-
dent man as he had ever seen.
Statements of Quartermaster Gen.
eral Sharpe regarding shortage OF
army clothing being due to failure tc
receive cloth ordered through the
supplies committee We're squarely
contradicted by Eisenman. He as
serted that supplies of cloth were de.
lvered on time and faster that il
could be manufactured under Gen,
efal Sharpe. He also declared thai
quartermaster generals office was re-
sponsible for some shortages by mis-.
taxes IN routing clothing to canton
nents.
Approves Shoddy Goods.
Eisenman told the committee h,
mad recommended and the quarter
master general had approved reducine
the wool content in overcoats bIan,
kets and other clothing and substi
tuition of wool substitutes, or "shod
dy," saying the quality was not i'm.
paired and that as good or better gar
ments were secured.
The scrap sorting contract. botl
Eisenman and Kaplan asserted, wa,
intended to give the contractors
profit of only half cent a pound al
over that to be returned to the gov
ernment. He protested against its re
cent annulment by General sharpe
VINO said the price of 6 cents poun,
for sorting was excessive.