Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-07-08
DECLARES SECRET
REGIME DIRECTED
u. S. WAR POLICIES

unnecessary expense. ana carried
things With high hamd ,,.t un.r
Major -General Goethals was called al
the eleventh hour TO rescue the al
Department from the public obloluy
which was fast settling upon ii rs a
result OF the methods and incanacity
Of the commission, lie repudiatcd and
practically dcfied it.
Goethnis Protested.
Our soldiers were actually dying Of
lack OF proper clothing and blankets.
Mr. Graham said. and General G"ethals
assumed The duties o; auar,ef'nnste,
general only on condition nc shoui4
have free .;co,c in tho performance OF
his duties. unhamrered by the Council
OF National Defense.
bers Of tina, council their power to
order purchases and fix prices and
soon dispensed with the, services OF
those members of the advisory com
mission who had so dcplorahly bum
.ied the control OF supplies for the
army"
commiss sion. Mr. Graham said. that 1t
was operating i'm disregard OF the
Sherman law. and ''all other statutes
that are supposed to reguiai.s p Susi,
the Acknowledgement was called unon
by the commission TO answer judge
Gary. Mr. Graham SAID. ne answered
that the matters referred TO as viola :
tions of the law were matters or ma :
,ional policy" rather than iesai ques-
ton.
Changed It's Per.onnel.
afterwards" MIR. Graham declared.
sion in Congress as to the Legality OF
members Of the committees on the
council buying from themselves. the
council discussed this general policy,
and 4; was suggested that this en-
harrassmcnt might he removed by the
plan OF the committee rcorganizat ton
now under consid n ration on, ~ ,oco,n,
OF this so-called embarrassment thei,
war industries hoard was created. and
commi,tses we're appointed by the ma,
letter Of the law. might he complied
with. but by which scheme no part OF
the method Of buying was changed in
,;observe.''
citing cases in which he said the
council formulated legislation before
later was considered by Congress Mr..
. Graham declared that on February II.
SI9If, the council discussed the drai
System and considered report from
Samuel Gompers aud
Howard L. Coffin relative TO the cNclu-
. sion OF labor from military service
Herbert Hoover be employed by tho
government In connection with food
!. control and on March Endorsed the
I Daylight saving scheme, and recon
-.press.
- Government Not Aided.
-. About the frst thing the commits
:. bion did was 10 take M the matter OF
: Arranging an easy method Of com muni-
-nration between the manufacturers and
: the government" Mr. Graham con
Llinued. I'm several meetings, long be
. fore war Was declared. the commiss j n
met with the REPRESENTATIVES of the
!. manufacturing industries and formed
!. an organization of them for selling
I. supplies to the government.
This method consisted OF having the
Representatives of various businesses
4 producing goods which the govern.
: alent would have 20 buy. form them
. selves into committees SO they mignr
; be able TO sell TO the government
: direct. When war was declared hi:
7 machinery began 10 move.
although this scheme was suppos &C
10 enable the industries 20 deal viii
T. jhe government as man. the gov.
:. eminent was at no time able 10 dca
AEith the industries through one man
Z ind. on the contrary. throughout IN.
war numerous Federal bureaus were
bidding against each other for the
lame supplies. with greatly Increased
4 cost to the government. Under iht
Neninistretions OF the council, Rig Rusi,
2 aess' was highly organized. while tn;
government remained wholly d;Sor