Crittenden record-press., 1918-07-25
gnnizntion. Growth has been entireiy
from within out.
Can See Bids Opened.

from within out.
Can See Bids Opened.
In Sanda court, the bureaus TEN.
p0rary structure In the central court OF
the state. war and navy building, a
room is provided which can be entered
by anyone without pass. question, or
formality. There is nn open door, en-
tered from the street, giving access to
a room called "The Public's ROOM"
and there any person interested In OF.
fering a bid on navy supplies or wish
Ing TO see that bids are opened fairly
can go and watch all transactions.
Employees engaged IN opening the
Thousands Of bids received daily work
In open view Of any person who wants
to enter this room. As fast as bids
are opened the amounts Of each item
are posted In books and placed upon
counters, where anyone may examine
them, learning all the facts about the
prices bid by competitors.
Admiral McGowan's views on pub
licity for government purchases are
very pronounced.
''In handling other peoples money
things must not only be right" he
says. but they must look right" And
the best way OF having them look right
In his belief, Is to let the public super
wise operations to the utmost extent.
Only In war has the navy FOUND II
necessary TO keep any information
about Its purchases confidential. and
even In war secrecy IL necessary for
but a very small fraction Of the pur.
chasing, where knowledge OF "Details
might afford assistance to the enemy
Centralixed purchasing with a we'll
| planned organization has made II pos
sible for the navy TO Increase Its turn
over many thousand per cent, not mere
ly without congestion or other dim
cuities, but with actual increase Ia
incomes and efI,ciency. As purchases
have grown larger and more numerous
they have been handed with greater
speed and al lower COST
Quality saieeuarted.
And with growth and magnitude
there has been every care TO sa.cguart
the quality Of supplies purchased fol
the navy. When we entered the WA
confusion existed In commodity mar
kets, and there was apparent short
age Of wool and other supplies. II va
believed for q time that navy specih
cations would have TO be revised, witt
n lowering OF quality But the bureau
OF supplies and accounts took deter
mined stand on that point. Very often
} In view Of assumed conditions, u look
cd Ike stiff-necked stand agains
rensonnblcness. Despite w!de-spren
belief among textile men that nav
uniforms would have TO he made partl
OF shoddy. n the enormous require
, ments were to be promptly met, tn
: bureau refused TO consider any lower
, Ing OF Its standards for uniform clotl
and. through the department OF agr
. culture. secured actual figures regart
r Ing the available wool stock In thi
country at that time. This survey nc
only proved that there was ample WOO
. In the country for military purpose
! but checked q wildly rising marke
!. The same stand has been taken o
food for our sailors, coal for battle
ships, and practically every article n
Q1red by the navy.
The best that is humanity possible
I says Admiral MCGOWAN, rs none ia
good for the men at the front, whetl
er they be In the army or navy.
hem myself personally accountable
s;ery father, and every mother, m
every wife. and every sweetheart, thu
the men ! have any supervision an
care ~ are rs well clothed and Z
well fed as II Is possible for them
! he. | acknowledge that as person.
responsibility resting on me. l free
4 acknowledge IL; excuses are not r.
i celyablc. and alibis are not accepte
/ What we want for the navy Is Il
III hast y"