The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-01-05
CIVILIAN BOARD
.BLAMEDFOR BAD
ARMY CLOTHES
Col. Elmer Lindsey Accuses
National Defence COun-
ell Committee.
U. $. REGULATION IGNORED
OvercOats and Blankets Were
Bought Below Standard to
Conserve Wool.
Special Despatch 10 TEE SrN

DeSfVttW ~ 1hk StN.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 4.A-Col. Elmer
Lindsey. Inspector and purchasing agent
al the Philadelphia quartermaster depot.
appeared before the Senate Committee
on Military Affairs to-day and charged
that the responsibility for reductions in
the quality Of the uniforms and blankets
issued to the United States soldiers
since the outbreak Of the war mist b.
attributed to the supply committee Of
the Council Of National Defence.
Col. Lindsey testified that before the
outbreak Of the war the American army
was the best uniformed Of any In the
world. Following upon the declaration
Of war the Specifications Of the Quarter.
masters Department were revised, but
the highest possible standards commen-
surate with the proper eQuipping Of the
men were maintained. The changes
were made with q view to conserving
the wool supply. but not at the expense
Of the durability Of the apparel or the
comfort OF the soldiers.
Then" said Col Lindsey. "the COM
mittee on supplies of the Council of Ma
tional Defence stepped in, and ignoring
our Specifications. issued specificatio Of
their own and made an arrangement un-
de- which the overcoats and blankets
and all of the items Of uniform were
to be purchased upon the deciaion by
the inspectors Of the Quartermasters
Corps that the materials offered were up
20 the standard Of the sample.
ShodAy Csed n Uniferns.
The results have been distressing.
l,, he ~ hA "v,tt -
States Army. up to the time the supply
committee took charge. had shoddy. &C.
tual shoddy. been used In tho manufac-
ture OF the clothing OF our soldiers
Col Lindsey described how the grades
had been dropped tar below the specifica-
tiors Of the Quartermasters Corps. with
the result that much OF the material now
going into the equipment Of the army
was OF the lowest grade possible for the
looms to weave.
The witness denounced the specifica-
tions which the Council Of National De-
fence had drafted ~ too loosely drawn
not to permit Of the Introduction Of
goods which. while complying with SAM
pies, were below the grade Of useful
ness or durability necessAry for the
proper equipment OF the army.
Replying to Senator Frelinghuy sen.
Coh Lindsey said the supplies committee
had superseded the Quartermaster' 5
Corps In prescribing cloth specifications.
and that In many cases the spec!fica-
tions were ignored.
Army standard Waived.
The supplies committee also had
waived standards prescribed by the
army. he said. and he told of one de-
livery of uniforms which contained
shoddy not permitted under the epecih-
cations. This was rejected by army IN
Tpectors. hut afterwsrd Was accepted
under orders from the supplies COM
mittee.
Failure of the Government 20 call on
many large clothing manufacturers TO
make uniforms was assailed by Frank
8. Turnbull OF New York. president OF
Rogers. Pect 4 Co. 1
There was no earthly reason why
We could not have clothed the men and
clothed them fast" he said. citing that
virtually none Of the large plants at
Rochester. n. r.. had been used by the
Government. He thought too much
cloth standards.
To conserve wool. Mr.. Turnbull said,
Charles Eisenman. vice. president OF the
supplies committee of the Council OF
National Defence. had proposed that all
civilian clothing during the war be
made Of shoddy.
THAT was visionary and impractical 81
Mr.. Turnbull said. land could only he
done by law. Mr.. Iisenman wanted to
start a propaganda to stop wearing Of
all wool garments by civilians"
When he saw that the object OF a
committee considering the subject was
to promote the general use Of shoddy
cornmittee.