New-York tribune., 1918-01-10
Department Has Not Found
1t Necessary to Use Shod-
dy, Witness Asserts
Baker Testifes To-day
Secretary's Examination Ex-
pected to Continue for Sew
cral Sessions

WASHINGTON. Jan. 9.--The climax
in the war inquiry If the Senate Mill
tary Committee will be reached to-
morrow when Secretary Baker appears
to discuss the proposals for establish
ing q separate department of munitions
and to reply to criticisms Of army prep
arations developed during the investi
cation.
Mr.. Bakers testimony is expected to
continue several days. and with it the
committee proposes to close the ord
nance and supplies branches Of their
inquiry and pave the way for immcdi
ate movement in the Senate for legis-
lation. Investigation of army canton
ments, aviation and other activities are
to be deferred for the present.
In anticipation of Secretary Bakers
methods were compared by the com
mittec to-day through Rear Admiral
McGowan, paymaster general of the
navy, and his chief aids, Admiral
McGowan earnestly j.. opposed single
purchasing system for both army and
navy supplies, pleading against dis
turbing the navys successful system.
As substitute he proposed joint war
and navy department boards, supple
mehted by civilian expertt1 to cooper
ata.
No Shortage in Navy
No shortages Of NAVY supplies exist,
the admiral said, reserve clothing is
on hand, and little difficulty in obtain
ing sufficient supplies has been en-
countered. He declared cmphatcalv.
too, that the navy had not found it
necessary to resort to shoddy in navy
garments, and denied that shortage in
the wool made use of shoddy necessary
and competitive bids, Admiral Nc
Gowan said, had proved most salts
factory. From April / to December Is
last, 317,00O,0O0 was spent.
In preparing TO close up army cloth
ing questions. the committee also heart!
A. l.. Scott, Of Boston, textile expert
on the supplies committee Of the Coun-
Gil of National Defence; Lincoln Crom-
WE'LL a knit goods expert Of the COM
mittee. and David Kirschbaum, Phil
adc 'phia manufactures having army
contracts.
Civilian Assistance Necessary
Mr.. Scott asserted that the supplies
committees system had saved the gov
ernment many millions of dollars He
said General Goethals, now acting
quartermaster general, was inviting
civilian members to ion his new or
ganization for army buying. and. while
indorsing centralizing authority for
purchase of government war materials,
insisted that expert civilian assistance
was imperative.
Saving to the government by the
committees work also was attested BY
Mr.. Cromwell, who said that previous
to it's participation the quartermaster
general, lacking machinery and per-
sonnel, was being "robbed" in buying
knit goods.
Mr. Kirschbaum said he feared re.
duced production Of army clothing as
result of new contracts with labor
provisions proposed by the Board of La
Dor Control and Labor Standards, ap-
pointed by Secretary Baker. Manufact.
urers are generally refusing to sign
the new contracts, he declared be-
cause they fear loss of control of theis
factories. Two members Of the board,
+ Mr.. Krschbaum asserted. are paciists
and Socialists.
Proitaers who extort excessive prices
for Military supplies were denounced
in the Senate to aay with the ntroduc
ton of bill by Senator Jones. Of
Washington. to correct the evil. The
Senator said officers now must pay
/ protiteers two OF three prices for uni
! forms, and read letter from an Of
| icer.
Every scoundrel in the country is
stocked up on military supplies which
/ the quartermaster claims he is un-
able to obtain" the writer said.
The Jones bill would provide that
all uniforms be furnished officers by
] tn pOVor11 r,lf NJ ar cost