New Britain herald., 1918-01-03

resting in the dried-up bed of river no part in making the contracts ex- plained MT. Eisenman.
 But the contracts were let by the Supply committee to your firm ?'
 'Yes, that's right"
 You assume responsibility for these contracts?' Senator McKellar asked.
 Yes, but the Depot Quartermas- ter's department at Cleveland had placed the orders with the firm be- fore I knew anything about it. re- piled the witness. "I had nothing to do with getting one contract
 The two contracts, the witness ex- plained, called for 100, 900 yards, each, of suiting material. The profit to his firm was approximately $30.0O0 on the two orders.
 Now, did you know that congress passed a law at the last session, pro- hibiting any agent of the government from dealing with himself in govern ment contract work?" demanded Sen- ator Mcclellan.
 "I knew that very we'll" replied MT. Eisenman.
 With the full knowledge of that you permitted that contract to be made between your firm and the gov ernment?"
 "The contracts were made by the Supply committee. l have already explained that I took no part in them whatever"
 Well, how did you get around the law"
 There was no getting around about it. We let contracts of that character every day
 You .do?"
 "Oh, yes
 Well, that's what this committee wants to know about; it's quite tm- portant," comm ented Senator Nickel lar
 ''I'll tell you anything you want tt know about it. replied MT. Eisenman.
 Senator McKellar asked if any con- tract for government supplies had been let to Jacob H. Brown. wooden manufacturer and member of the Supply committee.
 "Oh, yes" replied MT. Eisenman.
 And when that happened he step ped aside and let the rest of you fix it for him ?' pursued Senator Nickel lar.
 If you call it fixing yes was the reply. A. l.. Scott of the International Cot ton Mills, another member of the Sup ply committee, MT. Eisenman said, had contracts to supply cotton duck to the army. And he stepped aside and let his conferees on the committee hand him the contract?" asked Senator Nickel lar
 "He conformed to the law, as all of us did l Another member of the Supply committee to whom a contract was let was MT. Turner, the witness said; he got orders for cotton duck. MT Eisenman testified that many of the contracts with members of tho Supply committee were let at prices l 30 per cent below what they could i have got in the openI market.
 What do members of your com | mittee get from the government? ?" asked Sena tor Mcclellan. We get a dollar a year." replied 1 MT. Eisenman.
 'Tncidentally you arc getting con- ! tracts. too"
 That's true"
 Brook Stevens of the United States Bunting company was mentioned as another member of the Supply com ] 1 government.
 Senator Frelingbuysen interrogated l MT Eisenman as to the character of ! cloth manufactured for army uni l forms He said he had been informed l that because of a reduction in the weight of cloth Am erican troops had been sent to France with uniforms 27 per cent inferior to those worn by the | British and French.
 Do you feel that the American troops ought to be as warmly clothed 1 as the British and French troops?" 1 asked the senator. q felt all along that we ought to l give them the best procurable ma 1 terial regardless of expense" replied MT Eisenman. General Pershing | seemed satisfied with the uniforms supplied our men. The cloth we i have been supplying has been of ex- 1 cellent quality. If we used all wool in making it we would run out of