Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-11-12
CAMP GRANT GRAFT
LAID TO POLITICS
COMMITTEE IS TOLD
bARTENDCRS EMPLOYED AS CAR.
pENTERS ON ROCKFORD CAN
TORMENT CONGRESSIONAL
QUIZ CONTINUES -- EFFECT OF
COST PLUS SYSTEM.

Rockford. H., Nov. l2.-farmers,
the building AT Camp Grant as the
supreme opportunity to milk the gov
eminent. according to testimony Iues,
day before the congressional commit
tee investigating camps.
Senator j. Hamilton Lewis ald 81
mon ODonneil Chicago laDor leader,
were SAID to have bcel active III
Washington IN bchalI OF Chicago con
tractors at the time the malt mllllou
dollar contract for The camps hosplt
ais was awarded to Henry Erickson a.
Co
Ross +. EeCKstrom general contrac-
tor and president Of the Ross 4. Beck.
strom Company of Rockford, testified
that political ana other influence was
brought to bear on at least two Occas.
tons when contracts were awarded
col W, q. smith. camp quarter
master called me to his Office when
my S2UU0oU maintenance contract eX-
PRED. lie told me my WORK was sal
lsfactory and he had recommended
tnat 1 get the hospital contract.
Hints at Politics
Later Col Smith said 4 am afraid
politics is playing too great a part IN
this war. Things don't look right"
went to Washington where COL
Grover Belts OF the construction quar-
termasters department told me the
work was satisfactory, had been m
dcrsed and he regretted i was not to
contllue WORK on Camp Grant"
The award TO the Erickson Company
was made by the emergency construc-
ton committee
William IT. Barnes. Rockford real
estate broker testified that the gov
ernment reAted the camp site at SZV
an acre, when the land had been rent
ing Tor So and SO an acre. lie sald
1t was knowa to be high rate, nut
the farmers insisted on It.
Tells Of Cement Waste.
Stories OF delays and extra expense
because or iueiliClency ana waste Oh
materials were numerous. Stewart
+. Jackson, an engineer OF KocbIoiu
to OF one incident when seven ear
loads OF cement were ruined,
Il heard the cement was 10 ARRIVE
and ordered shed built Tor 1t, ne
said when the sned Was nearly
completed Superintendent Larson %
the Erickson company ordered 1t torn
down"
He said when the cement was re
ceived ii was covered with roofing
paper. \ storm few days later wei
the cement jackson sand foreman
Al t,.t,r lAg,I Ig fJ. Ii
not to discharge men Iile order was
been signed ana then he mad 100
many men, he SAID
Carpenters Memory Poor.
Elmer 4. Speck, a carpenter ul
Rockford suffered lapse OF memory
lie testified there was no waste Oh
idleness OF men.
"A few days ago you told this com
mlttee's investigator dhleFeAt story
did you net asked Congressman
Roscoe { Mccullough
Well, maybe, forget" answered
speck.
Have you talked to any contractors
since you were summoned? asked
Congressman MCtulloch.
nc, only to Nj. Ericsson, just he
fore ! came in" said Speck.
What was 5ald 2
"He shook my hand and asked me
II / was working, said Speck. 'lheh
ne SAID, tell the truth
You are dismissed said Congress
man McCnllocn
John r., Peters, business agent 10
the Carpenters Union during the cary
construction work, testified that th'
method employing men was grave
error if not a deliberate mistake.
Eartenders Given Jobs.
II nave discovered i've bartender
carpenters, said peters - heyF'
from Rock Island seeking WORK a
tools came from a and lucent store
reported the case to Eates Il Roe
ers employment office. Two day
later | saw them Oh the JOB as carpen
ters. AT another time a trainload o
700 men came from indianapolis
About 25O were carpenters. Inc res
were pootDlacks, clerks or not eve
tnat good
Three steam rollers and their opel
ators stood idle two weeks, accCrull
to Peter Yde. Freeport, road wor
foreman The government paid IN
contractors $50 a day FOR steam rol
ers. As many as GlNtoen teams atoo
idle at a time, ide sad.