New-York tribune., 1919-10-13
House Subcommittee Back
From Inquiry i'll Europe
Links Policy With S'Ruth-
less Sacrifice'' to France
Stopped Price Drop Here
Goods Cost 81, ,426, 100000,
Sold for 100000,
According to Investigators
Mem York Tribune
WnehjuUfon Q.,r.r.

~ u5RnQtOn bureau
WASHINGTON. Oct. 12.--How the
War Department sacrificed to the
French government for about $780,
100000 surplus commodities of all
sorts, including foodstutfs, clothing
>nd other necessities, which cost the
United States S1,426,0 100000, rather
than ship them back to the United
States after the armistice was signed,
was disclosed by the House Sub-com-
nittee on War Expenditures, which
has just returned from it's investiga-
tions in Europe. Official records
brought back by the committee are of
fered in support of it's charges.
The policy of Secretary Baker for
the American expeditionary force is
outlined in the official minutes of the
meeting of the American Liquidation
Commission in Paris, on April 16. 1919.
which was attended by MIR. Baker This
policy was given to the sub-commit-
tee by the liquidation commission as
the reason for the sale of the goods
1t reads as follows:
1.-The Secretary of War expressed
the opinion that no property or ma
terials not needed by the army for
consumption in the United States
SiOui" nc relulHed 10 thc Un1tcu
States, and that in no event should
such commodities as clothing. food
supplies and engineering equipment be
returned, but that all such commodi-
ties, as the same became surplus,
should be disposed of by the commits
sion in Europe to the best advantage" ;"
statement given out tonight by
representative Of the sub commission
says:
Some of the Commodities Sold
Among the commodities thus ruth
lessly sacrificed to save American
manufacturers and iobbers from com
petition and to prevent lowering Of
the cost Of living in this country the
following items, with their cost prices,
are noteworthy:
"Flour, SIS 800 900; bacon, s41, ,30o,-
O00 beef, S58,890 600; corn beef hash,
S4,000,000; canned tomatoes, S9,142 900:
coffee, So 100000; crackers, $4,000, 900;
sugar, $3.20O,000; flannel shirts, ST.
1000; mems underwear, $25,551 600;
shoes, S36,8S0 ,Oo0 mems socks or
stockings. $9,0O0,0OO; rubber boots,
$6.l00 900; huckaback towels, $l,775.-
900; blankets, $l2 100000; sewing
thread $25S0,000.
"Where there is in the minds of the
Investigators grave questions as TO
whether the liquidation commission
did sell this vast surplus TO the best
advantage abroad the fact that Sec
rctary Baker had directed that no
part Of it be returned to the United
States necessarily placed those
charged with its sale at the mercy of
the European market and, largely at
the mercy of the French buyers. who
were not slow either to bear the prices
or to seize upon the bargains offered
Much testimony regarding wanton
destruction of automobiles, trucks, per
fectly new tires, etc, belonging to the
American Expcditionary Force, was sub
mittcd to the committee, together with
emphatic denials of such destruction
from official sources. How clearly Sec
retary Bakers policy OF permitting no
part OF tho army surplus 20 come into
competition with American manufact-
urers, however, was understood by the
automobile trade in this country, and
was strikingly illustrated by the protest
cabled to ire American Liquidation