Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-01-25

An outline Of the manner In which
the expansive purchasing power of
Bernard NJ. Baruch and his associates
on the war purchasing board, which
controls the buying of the allies In the
| United tSates, Is exercised given by
General Pasqnale Tozzi, chief Of the
italian war mission in the United
States.
General Tozzi has the responsibility
of obtaining supplies directly from the
United States Is exercisedyis given by
gree. after the heavy loss of supplies
by the italian army In the retreat pe-
fore the Austro- German forces. In an
interview he expressed the apprl ia
tioin of his government for the treat
ment accorded him by Mr.. Baruch ana
his associates on the board.
General Tozzi outlined the practice
of the war purchasing board in hand
ling the numerous applications or the
allied governments-a tremendous BUS
mess undertaking about which very
little has been made public.
General Tozzi referred to the great
control in the hands of the American
authorities. this situation having peen
brought about byp the force OF CIR
cum stances and the needs or tRe war
and said that many millions OF dollars
have been saved to the allies as re-
suit. in addition to vast energies con-
served. competition eliminated as pc
tween the allies and causes Tor frlc-
tion removed.
met ODpT1tlOn
lows:
The head of a war mission presents
a statement OF his country's war needs
TO the American purchasing board. OF
which Bernard NJ. Baruch Is chairman.
| Before this step is taken, however, ''e
other allied missions have been asked
| whether they may In any way ne IN .
tured by the purchase Of the supplies
| required The American p'urchaslns
Board then passes on the form or con :
| tract presented by the missions heao
and suggests the firms which may best
| respond to the needs OF the buyer ally.
Before the purchasing board was
created the different allied missions
were accustomed to placing their con :
tracts with various firms. Such Oh
these firms as are able to meet the
needs Of the allies at present have oeen
authorized by the board TO continue
the accordance Of contracts and when
ever they are free to accept new orders
their names are included in the list OF
| firms submitted to the missions head
by the board.
Onse the American board has SUD
mitted this list Of firm names, he pre-
pares the necessary contracts with the
different Il IS with the prices OF each
| item and then presents the contracts TO
| the American purchasing board II the
! board finds the prices are correct anu
| the form OF government advantageous
| the execution of the contract is au-
| thorized: otherwise. other suggestions
are given, reductions OF prices are oo-
| tanned and everything is done TO make
the expenditure Of money as small an
possible with the maximum OF ehi-
cheney in the material which Is pu'-
chased
General Tozzi, who favored the es-
| tabl;shment OF the American purchas-
ing board even before IT, was created
said there are deficiencies in the buy
ing power Of mission; but wherever
this Is the case 1t can be traced 70 AacA
OF means OF production, which Is un .
avo!dable when everything ID neeoeo
on such a tremendous scale as II IS oS
| the European allies. $500
He added that 1t Is Fundamental
that There may even be mistakes in the
size of purchases made: but these must
be cons dered in connection with the
| enormous amount OF business trans
! acted. The existence>of the American
| purchasing board. he asserted, mas