The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-01-11
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
INFORM A TON
URE AU
FREDERIC J. HASKIN. Director.
Washington. D. c.
FOR SALE-EQUIPMENT FOL;
FIVE, MILLION.

Washington, D. c. Jan. S.-Uni-
forms, equipment and supplies, enough
to last 5000, 600 men for a year-this
is what the war department has on
hand now, with prospects of an army
of one-half million men left after the
rapid rehabilitation of war forces is
accomplished.
To dump this surplus stock, worth
several billions of dollars, on the open
market, would be to upheave. even to
paralyze industry. Thestactical prob
lem of selling and reabsorbing into in
dustry this mountain load of COM
modities without any approaching
shock to the country's labor and trade
has been assigned to the purchase and
storage department and is already be-
ing worked out.
1t is something of blow to the
war department that it has expended
so much money and energy on a job
that must be undone: but it is con-
soled by the fact that if the war had
continued every shoe string and frying
pan would have been needed, and no
body knew when the war was going
to end.
The surplus stock is, after all, not
entirely surplus. There is the future
of the aforementioned half million
regulars to be provided for; the army
of occupation IS still eating beans and
wearing out shoes; and a part of what
is left will be saved for the national
guard and home guard
The department is disposing of its
left-overs by a process of elimination
officially termed the preferential mar
ket system. An inventory of all goods
held in quartermaster depots has been
made, and goods to be kept for the
army's use are set aside. The soldiers
are then given a chance at the sup
off the cost price. This enables the
enlisted man who has become addicted
to army shoes to secure a twelve dol
lar shoe for about seven.> Also, if any
seasoned warrior prefers the army cot
to a feather bed, this is his one chance
cost.
After the army demands have been
supplied, preference of purchase for
government use is extended to all
other government departments, and
after that the stock is open to gov
eminent agencies, such as the various
committees for relief of war sufferers,
the knights of Columbus, and the
Y. NJ. c. A. Already some sales have
been made to the Committee for Re-
lief in Belgium, which can use cloth,
shoes, and most parts of the uniform,
dyeins and otherwise changing them
so that their uniform character is lost.
Fire, and police departments. pris-
ons, and other municipal institutions
are elso included in the list of eligibles
for the army goods by direct purchase.
Some material is being bought back
by the manufacturers who sold it to
the government. For instance, where
a dry goods manufacturer has con-
centrated his output on the army at
low price, he may wish to take back
his unused goods in order to secure
greater profit by sale to private firms,
and so that he can deliver goods or
dered in quicker time.
After the preferred classes have
been given the right of purchase, the
remainder of the surplus stock is to be
sold at public auction and by sealed
bids. Auctions, the office of purchase
and storage announces, will be con-
Quoted on a CASH before delivery basis,
and positively no credit will be given.
All proceeds of sales go into the
United States treasury. So far, the
amount turned in is not great, as only
wool. harness and horses and mules
are being sold at auction.
The horses and mules, of which
there are 44,455 to be sold in this
country, are offered at various camps
and remount depots. The harness and
saddles offered are new and are re-
ported in great demand because of the
high quality of the army leather goods.
1t is not likely that there will be
many uniforms put up for sale to the
public; but according to the office of
purchase and storage there is no rea-
son why a. civilian cannot wear a pair
of army boots, as they are not a dis
tinctive part of the uniform of the
United States army Even an army
is not technically part of the uni
form.
The enormous quantities of food
held in storage by the war department
are to be kept entirely for the army
re io1, he
sold to war relief organizations. AS a
| twelve inch gun could be of no use
to a civilian except possibly as a war
souvenir or a front yard decoration,
and as the army rifle is not suitable
| for hunting, no guns will be sold at
public auction. The war department
expects to keep all guns, except those
| scrapped and sold as junk. All ma
teria1 which had been collected for the
purpose of salvage and not reclaimed.
| is to be sold as junk, chiefly to junk
! dealers.
| Supplies held overseas are being
| disposed of by methods similar to
! those employed in this country. 1t is
! stated that some parts of uniforms
| have been sold by the overseas de-
partment to the Czecho-Slovak and
| other armies in need of clothing. and
that other extra supplies are being
disposed of to war refugees thru rec
| oGniZed relief organizations.
In spite of its vast surplus of sup
plies, the army Is still buying GER
| tain kinds of. food and a few other
| items. which the quarterma ster de-
partment neglected to provide on its
| usual gigantic scale.
The army and navy are organized
along such different lines that the
! navy has no need for a grand house
| cleaning in order to return to a peace
basis. In the first place, the navy
| does not expect to follow the army's
example of shortening its roll to one
tenth war strength. The navy's
| 100000 war strength will shrink te
| $4,000 and stop. according to present
plans. The bulk of navy supplies now
on hand can be kept indefinitely fol-
these $4,000 men, so that the uSua
periodical navy sales of unserviceable
goods will be the only sales staged by
the navy department.