The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-06-27
lKELLAR FIGHTS
INTERESTS PULL
ttsck on Hare Salary Shows
Scheme to Resell Supplies
to Contractors.
BY cHAs. S. HAYDEN.
(Staff Correspondent.)

WASHINGTON, June "A. Cspl.)-A
ter fight waged over the army APP
4opriation bill by Senator Kenneth D.
cKellar. OF Tennessee, has revealed a
4ndition which, 1t Is believed, will be
ade the subject for further investi.
ltion. While the ope ncharge has not
en- made, It has been clearly shown
BIT the big interests have something
pre- than a still, small voice in d.
ting the manner in which the 81, $780,
900 worth of war supplies the gov
hment has on hand shall be sold,
Although the fight centered around
appointment OF G. W. Hare as di-
etor Of sales, the discussion reached
hcA further and Senator Mcclellan
s able to show that under the sys-
N obtaining only the packers could
on the purchase Of the millions OF
liars worth of meat; only the auto
Rbbile manufacturers would have the
%portunity to acquire the thousands OF
used cars which the government has
ID, finally, that some $50, 900, 900 worth
aeroplanes had actually been sold for
bout 10 per cent OF their cost.
light on Hare's Salary.
AS originally introduced, a provision
this bill authorized the appointment
I Mr.. Hare as director of sales at a
4htdAs Va VsofONV d year. llllS was llISl
Eliminated on q point Of order, raised
Sy Senator Mcclellan, but later the mat
Ter again came to the front on motion
Rom Chairman Wadsworth, Republican
|enator from New York. He insisted
IN the Importance of having Mr.. Hare
b this very responsible position, con
ending he sales force no wis fully
organized and that great waste would
ensuef IL 1t were disorganized. Finally
|he senate authorized Hare's employ
nent, but cut his salary to $4,000 a
rear.
Considerable interest obtains in the
lenate among the Democratic members
Is to- just why the Republican leaders
|houlf make such a strenuous fight to
letain the services of Mr.. Hare. Al
though working under a Democratic
ADMINISTRATION, it does not necessarily
blow that Mr.. Hare is Of that polit-
.cal faith. He came to Washington
rom Philadelphia during the wal as a
ollar-a-year man, having beer
loaned" to the government by the
Philadelphia Gas company, with which
b was associated, AT a hearing be
pre- the military affairs committee OF
he senate last February Mr.. Hare re.
.ealed that he was still on the payroll
the Philadelphia company and that
rom several sources his income ranged
hose to $29.0 900.
Thefactsbrought out by Senator Nc
Il eklar as to the war departments sys-
Sem for %disposing Of surplus supplies
we're Illuminating. 1t was not shown
Shat Mr.. Hare was responsible for this
tystem, but he is and for some time
has been acting as director of sales,
i Reading from memoranda, Senator
fcKellar stated that. although men re-
emily released from the aviation ser
lice had sought opportunity to buy
government airplanes, this had beer
benied them and that some $50, 900, 0OC
worth OF planes recently We're sold bach
10 the factory which built them fol
2 1000, 900. He also pointed out tina
when bids were called for on the sail
of 142, 900, 900 pounds of bacon anC
meats and 5,500,00 cases o
canned vegetables the smallest amour
on which bids would be received wa
a carload. This, as he pointed out, re
stricted sales to the big packing con
Germs,
In defense of, Mr.. Hare, Senate
WadSworth announced that the direc
tor Of sales received the market pric,
for surplus wool and copper stocks. Thi
called forth the ironical remark from
Senator Mcclellan that ham n bacol
weret about as staple as wool and cop
been able to get more than 40 per cen
of tie price paid for these supplies
and from the very concerns which sol
them to the government.
SeAator France finally gained tn
floori and submitted an amendment au
thoriEing the payment Of a salary I
the hirector OF sales not to excee
$12,o9o q year, and, after c%onsiderabl
row margin of 81 to 22, with Al sen
ators' registered as not voting, Senate
Mcclellan voted for this amendment
being satisfied the system existing ha'
heent revealed sufficiently.