Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-02-15
Takes First Step Indicating
Desire To Taking Mem
bers of Both Political Or
carnations Into War
Councils.
G.O.P.LAW MAKERS
CALLED TO CONFER


ton of war legislation and In this way
the administration expects to smooth
out some Of the difficulties which con
front the war program.
ASKS G. O. P. SUPPORT
The pending bill to- empower
the president to consolidate ex
ecutive department functions and
re-distribute work among them
now openly opposed by the re
publicans, will be one of the first sub
jects to come up. Some Of the demo
Gratis do not favor it and the republi'
cans openly denounce it as comforting
too great authority.
The purpose of the conference is to
arrive at some compromise on this
subject first, but there is every indi
cation that they will be carried on
throughout the war.
INDICATES NEW POLICY
The presidents move is regarded
rs the first step toward taking mem.
bers of both parties more into his con.
fidence, and toward calling on the re.
publicans actively into the war coun.
ellis.
BAKER GIVES SHIP DATA
Secretary Baker today transmitted
to the senate military committee the
shipping statistics upon which he
based his estimates of transporting a
million American soldiers to Europe
this year
The information was labelled high
ly confidential" and will be considered
in executive session of the committee
as the basis for final cross examina'
ton of Mr.. Baker, probably later this
week and behind closed doors.
HOPES FOR ALLIES AID
= In his tonnage statement Secretary
Baker, according to committee mem
bers, did not contend that 100000
American soldiers could be maintained
in Europe in 1918 with present ship
ping facilities but expressed hope OF
securing more allied vessels.
American tonnage now available
according to Secretary Bakers state
ment, was said to be less than the
100000 tons conceded by Senator
Hitchcock. Secretary Bakers state
ment reiterated his contention that but
2 tons gross or 1.6 net tons are re-
quired to maintain each soldier In
Europe. Senator Hitchcock estimated
1t at 5 tons.
COMMITTEE ALMOST THROUGH
The information was compiled
largely BY the general staff and is I'm.
derstood to give complete details OF
both American and allied tonnage
available for transport service.
The end of the senate military com.
mitee's detailed investigation of the
army's war preparations was in sight
today when inquiry into the building
Of camps and environments was con-
tinued with officers Of the quarter
masters corps as witnesses.
CONTRACTORS GET BIG SUMS
Fees of the George A. Fuller com.
pany and Thompson-Starrett company
were inquired into today. The former
Brigadier General Littel, in charge OF
construction, and his aides testified,
built the Fort Riley, Kansas, and
Quantico, Virginia, camps with esti-
mated fees Of 100000 and also gov
eminent buildings in Washington, es-
timated to cost $2,600,000, on Z per
cent commission basis.
The Thompson-Starrett company,
the committee was told, will get $612.-
800 for building the government pow
der plant at Charleston, w. Va. The
firm also received $4,000 for build
ing the Yaphank, N. Y. cantonment
and Staten Island hospital.
FORMER BUILDERS IN SERVICE
1t was developed that several men
formerly connected with large con
struction firms given government con-
tracts, now are commissioned officers
in General Littels Office or Temporal
lily assisted his force or the advisory
committee Of the council of national
defense.
"They assisted in getting this great
machine together and had nothing to
do with awarding contracts" said Ma
jor Starrett. "In the formative period
we called on all the great contractors
to give us their best men to get their
advice.
PLAN is DEFENDED
Major Starrett, one of General Lit
tells aides, declared that the plan of
construction followed was the only
possible one under the circumstances.
For the stupendous work." he said.
"for which the country was entirely
unprepared, it seemed to US the only
way to call in the best men possible to
get their advice. The contractors were
conscientious and did their best to
stem losses. They we're men Of high
patriotism"
No architects received any fees from
the work.
COLUMBUS jet. r. c. BUSY
Columbus Junction, Feb. 1.-THE
local Red Cross chapter shipped a
large box of surgical dressings to