New-York tribune., 1918-01-03
Army Clothing Orders Ex-
planned by Men on Sup
plies Committee
Sharpe's Charges
Of Delay Denied
Eisenman and Kaplan Say
They Didn't Vote When
Personally Interested

WASHINGTON, Jan. c.--Army sup
ply contracts given through the sup
plies committee of the Council Of Ma
tioral Defence to concerns in which
committee members arc Interested we're
investigated to-day by the Senate Mill
tary Committee.
Charles Eiscnn,an, vice chairman of
the supplies committee and a retired
clothing manufacturer Of Cleveland
and Samuel NJ. Kaplan, of New York
one of the dollar-a-year volunteer
members, were the principal witnesses.
lhe lattcr's testimony was confined
chiefly to a contract with the Base
Sorting Plant, Inc. Of New York, in
which his brother, Ira l. kaplan, has
third interest, for sorting army
clothing scraps. which was said to
promise profits of 100000 annually.
The contract recently was cancelled.
Work of the supplies committee was
highly praised by Mr. Eisenman who
said 1t had negotiated orders for sup
plies worth $S00,00O,0OO for the quar-
tcrmaster generals office. He defend
ed the committees practice of approv-
ing contracts with firms Of MEMBERS
explaining that in such cases Interested
t committeeman were excluded from the
negotiations.
Evasion of Law Der;ed
Senator McKcllar wanted to know if
has was not an evasion Of the law hut
Mr. fisenman insisted that the COM
mlttcc's practice was followed to con-
form to the law. The committee men,
hers, Mr.. Eisenman stated, were selected
from men in The business who had
proved successful and that contracts
with their firms were made because full
Use Of the country's manufacturing ia
ci.ities was necessary.
Statements OF Quartcrmaster Cen
eral Sharpe regarding shortages of
army clothing due to failure to re-
ceivc cloth ordered through tho sun
pines committee were squarely contra
dictcd by Eiscnman. lie asserted that
supplies Of cloth were delivered on
time and faster than it could be manu-
factured by the factories. under Cen
eral Sharpe. He also declared the
Quartermaster generals Office was re-
sponslble for some shortages by mis-
takes in routing clothing to canton
mcnts,
Llscnman told the committee he had
recommended and the quartermaste1
general had approved reducing the
wool content in overcoats, blankets anc
other clothing and substitution of WOO
substitutes, or "shoddy," saying the
quality was not impaired and that as
good or better garments were secured
Work of Supplies Committee
Mr.. Eiscnman, explaining operations
of the supplies committee, stated that
during the last eight months it hac
dealt in $500 transactions, with mcr.
chandiac valued at $500, 100000. He
had the responsibility Of finally pass
ing on all orders and contracts
The delay was due to the buying
Of supplies too late said he, ndcat
ing that more troops were called into
{ service than could be equipped.
Cloth, he declared, was delivered ts
the Quartermaster generals offic,
faster than it could be made into gar
ments.
sour records" said Eiscnman. car,
: open and complete, and will SHOW
! whether our job has been well done
!, | don't say it could not have beer
/. better, but we have done the best W,
I could"
"Did you Investigate the kind an,
quality of clothing Of European
q i,c 7' asked Snnator. E,o1 limo !,
: Gave the Men the Best
n "l felt our men should have the bes
e our country atfords,' said Eisenman
l. THAT has been in the back of ou
y, minds all the time. We did not know
u perhaps did not care-what Englan,
and France were usng-wc wante,
i what this government rrcscribes an
" the best that could be got here"
y Changes in specifications for cloth
y ing and blankets, recommended bv hi
% committees Eisenman insisted, had re
:. suited in producing better material.
"We have not changed the weights.
= he insisted emphaticaily, explanin
!. that although former ovcrcoat clot
8 specifications were for rs per cent woe
: and 25 per cent cotton the new stand
n ards were 65 per cent wool and 80 pe
n cent re-worked wool "But it is bette
than all WOOL" he declared 1--WE ar
IS getting the best Of goods, goods fit fo
q king"
Eisenman declared some manufae
l. turers were disappointed because the
y had not been able to get the hig
! prices they demanded.
h "They tried TO get into the none
s department, and we may expect the,
" to complain," said he. "One of tn
: reasons for reducing the percentage q
wool was that we We're cut off fo
o three years from the worlds woo
e supply"
y Standing and shaking his finger &
r the witness, Senator Frelinghuyse
n said with rising voice:
Il "You assumed responsibility for re
c ducing the wool standards of arm
: clothing?"
e 81 didH't reduce them" Mr.. Eiscnma
Il u said, rising also, and declaring tina
!. use Of wool substitutes had developo
- clothing and blankets as good as O
y better than, those formerly made wit
~ more pure wool.
Denies Changing Quality
= 81 have not changed the quality, onl
u the specifications" he declared az
:, anything. the fabrics coming throug
-, now are better than those made unde
" the original army standards"
= Regarding shortages of clothing i