The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-23
POLES TO GET
j. s. UNIFORMS
Surplus Army Equipment Also
May Go to Serbia and
Rumania.
SALVAGE Is ENORMOUS
Franco Has Not Decided on
What She Will Buy, as In
demnity Is Awaited.
SALVAGE IS ENORMOUS

Copyright. 1919: oil riohts reserved.
PARIS. March 22.-The building up Of
the new states Of Europe, notably Po-
land. and the reconstruction Of the
devastated countries, such as Ru
mania and Serbia. will be accom-
plished partly with tho help OF the sur
plus equipment accumulated for the
American army of 100000 men. The
new states offer fair prices for this
material and some of them are bor-
rowers from the United States
The uncertainty OF the French as to
how much money will be obtained
from Germany has delayed their deci-
, sion In regard to how much American
. material they Will want to buy, so that
soon the American Liquidation Com
mission. which has established offices
in Paris, must seek buyers elsewhere.
Already plans are being made to sup
ply the demand of the Poles for clothing.
Herbert Hoovers Investigators report
that while the people are short of food
in tho cities. the lack OF clothing is
verse; everywhere the people are clad
! in rags.
The commission is preparing to send
to Poland large quantities of second
hand American uniforms, shoes. under
clothing and socks, all salvage from the
American Expeditionary Force. for
which the Polish Government will pay
as soon as the matter of credit Is ar
ranged
How much money will be realized from
the sale of this American material. or
even how much material will be sold. has
not yet been determined. II is estimated
that the liquidation will require a year
because so far the troops are still here
and need all their equipment.
II Is well known that Gen. PershinG
fought the battles OF ST. Mihiel and the
Argonne without full equipment OF
various things because that equipment
had not arrived from the United States
and the French and British could not
spare enough. so that only now is the
American Expedtionary Force we'll sup.
piled with most of the things II needed
There Is, therefore, not much TO sell tc
France.
In England, however, most of the ma.
sisted mainly of automobiles. which
brought good prices MS they were
bid for keenly especially the cheaper
makes. So far the army has sold som,
horses and mules in France, for which
good prices were obtained
The army material In France fall
into three main classes--machinery
railroad equipment and motor trans
port. II Is not yet certain that tn
ship unloading machinery. cranes. &c. o
which the value in Bordeaux, ST. Ma
zaire and Brest has increased greatly
will be sold In France, although IL goo,
prices are obtained this will be done
Some OF it may be taken back to tn
United States.
The French assert that American loco
motives and cars are too heavy for per
manent use on French railroads. but s.
far they have proved satisfactory, an,
there are hundreds OF miles OF American
laid traCkage. The question OF auto
mobiles Is more difficult TO solve be
cause the French army has an enor
nous number of trucks and ambulance
to dispose Of.
Generally speaking It will not b
known what can be obtained from tn
French for the material which is not I
be shipped back TO the United state
until the French ascertain what they ar
to get from Germany In indemnites an
how they are coming out in the liqui
dation Of their own material.
Estimates OF the amount that will b
obtained for material vary much. On
French authority says the United State
probably will realize about 20 per CEN
: OF the cost price on the whole bushes:
, but the Americans point out that Will
the French may be thrifty, Yanke
. shrewdness has not vanished from o.
the earth.