The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-10-25
Work for War Department
Was Defective and
Rejected
DID NOT COMPLY
WITH SPECIFICATIONS
Had 201 Contracts Involving About
S30,o00,0O0 - Leather Goods Badly
Cut and Manufactured - Govern
ment Agent Indignant.

WASHINGTON, Oct 25.-Investiga-
ton of the contracts made with the war
department by Richard II. Long, Dem
oeratic candidate for governor of Mas
sachusetts, was begun by the Graham
select committee yesterday afternoon.
Congressman William j. Graham of H.
inois, chairman of the committee, said,
in opening the hearing, that the con-
tracts given Mr.. Long were SO large
and the settlements SO numerous that
he thought it proper to conduct an in
vestigation.
Lieutenant Colonel George B. Goetz,
salvage officer of the war claims adjust
ment board, who was the first witness,
said during his testimony that he had
found lot of the equipment at the R..
II. Long company's plant at Framing
ham. Mass, to be chad and that he
rejected some of the goods. He said
that from 1000 to 1900 breast collars
comprised one item rejected.
ing after the committee had completed
taking testimony regarding the war
work of the Standard Steel Car COM
pany ''For some months, said Mr..
Graham. ID. j. Bennett, one of our in
vestigators, has been making inquiry as
to leather contracts. 1t developed early
in the investigation, and was called to
the attention of the committee, that a
| great many contracts had been given
| to Mr. Long. According TO information
:: | have from the war department, Mr.
| Long had pol contracts. | think about
150 were ordnance contracts. The am
cunts involved are approximately $780,:
100000 and comprise all kinds of lea
Their goods, harnesses. gun holsters and
almost everything made from leather
There We're rubber contracts, too.
| "The amounts were 50 large and thu
settlements so MANY that | thought il
progsE Mr.. Bennett ha'
been working for two months. He has
inspected the files here and in Boston
has a great amount of information.
/ Colonel Goetz said in answer to ques
tons that. as head of the harness de
partment of the war department. h
purchased leather supplies from July
1917, until August. 1918. His prin
cipal duties were to purchase and in
spect leather equipment.
Chairman Graham-How extensiv
were the contracts with Richard II
Long for leather goods2
Colonel Goetz-His contracts totalle
about $300o0000; in leather good
about 100000 600.
"What was the number of his cor
tracts approximately?
% Perhaps several hundred =
"Please describe the articles
made
Saddle bags, rifle scabbards, arti
lery and ordnance harnesses, bride
packs, numerous cases for instrument
and hundreds of other articles
''Were you leather man before IL
waro'
eyes, all my life. -
@ Were Won called upon by the d
partment at any time to 90 to Fran
ingham TO inspect leather goods?'
cone of my duties was to inspect a
: he plants of concerns having eontrac
with the war department. l did go
! birmingham.
Has Mr.. Long made deliveries
the government p
He has delivered a considerab
amount
q "When did his contracts begin?''
4 "Shortly after war was declared.
How did you find his goods?''
''I found lot of bad equipment
"What was it?''
= Artillery breast collars, halle
brides. saddle bags and many other
i ticles. -
''What was the matter with these
- ticles?'
Il "The articles were badly cut a
- badly manufactured, and did not co
n ply with the specifications
~ % Did ynu inSneat Tho snnci ficn Z Il