New-York tribune., 1918-01-03

General Shnlrc's statement that he
was short on December | dG per cent
OF shirts, Mr.. Eisenman insisted posi-
lively that there WAS q largo surplus
Of shirts in government depots.
Regarding General Sharpe's tcsti
mony that cotton coat deliveries wero
SO per cent short about December |.
Mr. Eisenman insisted that an ovcr-sup-
ply 's IN the dcpots.
"But our boys arc without shirts
and coats.' said Senator McKcllar.
GLOW do you explain that?"
You will have to inquire in the de
pnrtmcnt.' Mr.. Eiscnmun answered.
'We'vc turned over tho stuff"
"'Thc fact is that the boys arc with
out clothing. and General Sharpo's fig
urcs Indicate that he is nearer right
than YOU ara snid Senator Mcclellan.
General Sharpe. the witness insisted,
was mistaken.
A tilt developed when Mr.. Esenmnn
vchcmcntly insisted on tcstifying in his
own way, giving, as he said, the "nc sh
and blood Of it."
IL want to give you the real DOPE
said he. "lf you don't want to hear it,
all right"
Mr.. Eiscnman proceeded to detail
how he had been unable to hold prices
to q fixed basis for four or five months
on army cloth. He reiterated that ne
had made deliveries OF overcoat cloth
to the quartcrmaster general in time
and was not responsible for overcoNt
shortages.
"You have kept UP with the quarter
master generals requisite 2" asked
Senator Frclinghuysen.
"Ycs," the witness answered posi-
lively. III think ! can safely say that"
Stakeholder in Wo,sted Company
Senator Mcclellan inquired regarding
Mr.. Eisenman's business connections Mt
Cleveland and whether Secretary Baker,
whose homo is there, recommended his
appointment.
Eiscnmnn answered in the negative
and said he was a director and stock
holder in many Cleveland corporations,
including the Cleveland Worsted Mills
Company.
"You have contracts with that mill?"
"Ycs, but | never advised letting y
contract with that mill"
Yet your committee placed contracts
with the company ?" asked Senator Nc
Kcllar.
eyes, but would not personally deal
with them. would always insist on
making them come through better than
any one else"
Frederick Edngton, Of the supplies
committee, stated that two contracts
had been given the mill in which Mr..
Eiscnman said he was stockholdcr
for 10000 yards Of Melton worstcd.
"Did you know that there are laws
prohibiting any agent of the govern
mcnt dealing with himself or any COM
panv Of which he is a member" asked
Senator Mcclellan.
Eyes. very WE'LL" said Mr.. Eiscnman.
"But | took no part in the contracts
We DO that sort of thing every day
"Thcn in making such contracts, you
put the duty on other members Of tho
committee to make them? - asked Sena-
tor Mex cllar.
stating that Mr. Ellington made the
contracts with the Cleveland mill
Mr.. Eisenman said his committee had
not authorized any contracts with
Sears, Roebuck & Co., Of Chicago, Of
which julius Rosenwald. chairman OF
the supplies committee, is president.
Asked About Other Contracts
Senator McKellar inquired further
regarding contracts made with firms in
which members Of the supplies commit
tee were stockholders or otherwise in
tcrested
Mn Esenman said he was pretty
sure" the committee had bought wool
from Jacob f. Brown, Of Brown <
Adams. Boston wool firm.
"When the committee dealt with his
firm, Mr. Brown, supplies committee
member, stepped aside?" asked Senator
: MeKellar, and Eiseman asscnted.
"a. r. Scott was another supplies
committee member named by Elseman
who. was interested in company from
! which the committee bought cotton
duck.
"And Mr.. Scott stepped aside when
the committee let the contract! - aked
Senator Mcclellan.
"Yes,' Eiscnman said. He named a
/ Mr.. Bailey as another committee mem
Der whose firm had similar contracts.
"Tnen he, too, conveniently stepped
aside 2" asked Senator McKellar.
"Not conveniently but to comply
with tho law" Eisenman replied.
Wool Buyer on Committee
Senator McKellar turned temporarily
to examine Frederick Ellington, of the
supplies committee. He said he IS d
foreign wool buyer for the American
Woolen Company, still received a sal
airy from it, and is now devotlng all his
time to the governments interests al
81 q year
And your firm gets large contracts
from the committee?' asked Senator
Mcclellan.
"Yes,' said Mir. Ellington, "but tho
amount has diminished since came
here. don't think my connection has
had any effect on the contracts of the
American Woolen Company"
Brock Stevens, Of the United State:
Bunting Company, another member o
Fisenman's committee, was examined
He said he was an adviser OF Eisen
mans and had been asked to come tt
Washington to represent the Nationa
and American Association Of Wooler
Manufacturers. The bunting compan,
from which he receives salary, Ste
vens said. had received contracts from
the supplies committee
"Why did you sdestep acting on con