New-York tribune., 1918-03-04
Supply Director Answers
Charge That Fabrics
Are Inferior
3O,OOO,OOO Yards
100 Per Cent Wool
Civilian Consumption Re-
duced to Meet Rule of
Army First
[Staf Correspondencel

WASHINGTON, March 3.-Charles
Eisenman, vice chairman of the d-
vision of supplies of the Council of
National Defence, who several weeks
ago entertained the Senate Military
Affairs Committee by his belligerent
defence of the conduct of his depart
ment, to-day issued a public state
ment intended to answer the charges
said to be made by American officers
in France that the uniform material
supplied to our soldiers was inferior
TO that used by the French and
British.
Reports reaching Washington repre-
= sent that officials of the quartermas
ter's department abroad have recon-
mended to Major General Goethals
that an investigation be made of the
quality of uniform cloth being supplied
TO the American forces. In answer to
this Mr.. Eisenman stated to-day:
"Of the more than 30,0O0,000 yards
of cloth for uniforms that have been
bought by the committee on supplies
since last May every yard has con-
sisted of 100 per cent virgin wool, with
no cotton, no wool substitutes, no
shoddy. Prior to the entrance of the
committee on supplies into the gov
ernment purchasing system the speci-
flcations for uniform cloth were as
follows: Seventy-fve per cent virgin
wool and 25 per cent cotton. The
standard weight for uniform cloth for
the army has always been sixteen
ounces to the yard, and is now that,
and ell the goods purchased by the
committee on supplies have likewise
been sixteen ounces to the yard.
Owing to information that English
uniform cloths were twenty ounces to
the yard, the supplies committee has
frequently sought to obtain ruling
from General Sharpe, of the quarter
masters department, as to whether or
not the weight of the cloth for our
uniforms should be increased. General
Sharpe cabled General Pershing about
four months ago, inquiring if, in Gen
eral Pershing's judgment, our weights
were sufficient, but to date the supplies
committee has received no information
on the point, and consequently it has
no alternative but 10 continue it's pur-
chases of cloth under the current
weight specifications
Says Uniforms Are Improved
Statements have been made that the
uniforms of American soldiers have
been cheapened. The facts are that
they have been made far better and
stronger by eliminating the pre-war
standard of % per cent of cotton and
substituting therefor fabric composed
OF strictly all virgin wool, thereby
strengthening the tensile strength of
the cloth, and by the elimination of the
20 per cent of cotton adding at least
that much warmth to the fabrics. The
70 per cent of cotton of the pre-var
standard was done away with at the in
stance Of the committee on supplies.
acting conformity with the ouartermas-
ter's department, by and with the ad-
vice of the officers Of the National AS
ISOLATION of Woollen and Worsted
Manufacturtrs.
With regard to the overcoatinc IA
brio, the prc-war standard was rs per
~~-'S ~ y "a i't "CoA anu 20 per cent OIL
cotton. At the outbreak of the war the
offlcers OF the National Association of
Woolen Manufacturers, headed bv
Colonel John P. Wood, most strongly
urged the adoption of a new standard
OF overcoating, whereby the 25 per cent
Of cotton should be eliminated and
substitution made therefor by the use
OF reworhed woods, commonly known as
shoddy.
After the most careful deiiberation
between the woolen manufacturers, the
Committee on Supplies and tie Quar-
termaster Department, it was consd-
cred wise to take this action, but the
strength tests of the fabric were left
on the pre-war standard, and for
warmth and wearing qualities the over
coating fabric finally adopted is not
only far better than that of the pre-
war standard, but better than at least
80 per cent of all the overcoatng in
the world for civilians
Definition of Shoddy
There has been great deal of loose
discussion as to what shoddy is Shod-
dy used for the United States govern
lnent overcoating fabrics is simply re-
worked wool. resulting from the rem
'sants and clippings of fine all wool
ebrics. which are worked into fibre and
;sed with virgin wool, thus making an
fil-WDOi 4GDiiE "lLD tUs tensile SIrenRtn
the same as in the pre-war standard,
and the resistance TO cold much great
er than in the old specifications
at is pertinent to state that Eng
lard in the oyercoating fabric for her
arrnies/is using about rs per cent of
rcworked wool and only % per cent Of
virgin wool, and furnishing a perfectly
satisfactory overcoat-
"The use OF shoddy. or reworked
wool. was urged by the greatest wool
len experts in the country, among them
the executives Of the National Associa-
ton Of Wooilen Manufacturers, for the
reason that there vas a possible short
age Of wools in the United States.
" bile the wool supply Of the world was
ample. the worlds oversca transporta-
ton had already become 80 cnrtailed
that We could not safely rely uDon
the worlds supply 10 fiji both the gov
eminent and civilian needs Of America.
1t may be asked why, in view of
this situation, we did rot reduce the
usc OF wool by civilians. The answer
j. that We have. Early in the war the
Com mm'ttee on Supplies, working in
conjunction with the Commercial
Economy Board Of the Council Of Ma
fienai Defence. called tn Washington
tf many oceasiong the woollen and gar
rent manufacturers with view to
ci-rtaiitng az much az possible the