Omaha daily bee., 1920-02-15
WASTE OF GOODS
UNBELIEVABLE
IN WAR CONDUCT
Reavis Tells Of 945, 900 Sad
dies for 100000 Horses
& 10000 Autos Almost
Given Away.

t-nSoit, 4NCD., ISUs lT.~NSpCSid,.t
The War department needed 1885,
600 branding irons to burn the let
ters ~. S." on 100000 horses pur-
chased by the department for the
war and paid 80 l-2 cents per pound
for the copper heads.
The branding irons were delivered
to the government two months after
the armistice was signed and were
found of an inferior grade of cop
per, so the department sold them
back to the manufacturer at II IA
cents per pound.
This was one OF the methods
which the War department prac.
ticed in handling the money sub
scribed by the people for carrying
on the war, according to Congress
man {. F. Reavis, who was chair
man of the subcommittee having in
charge the investigation of expendiA
lures, and who told the story to a
large crowd of banqueters at the
30th annual banquet of the Young
Mems Republican club held at the
Lincoln hotel in which the congress
man was the principal speaker.
Gives Names and Dates.
Congressman Reavis told the story
OF war expenditures as disclosed by
the committee in its investigation.
not only giving figures, but names
and dates also. His subject. The
High Cost of Democracy" was
loudly applauded.
Mr.. Reavis said that the govern
ment purchased 100000 cavalry
horses and then for these horses
bought o4S, 900 saddles. For the 14o,-
600 artillery horses 100000 sets OF
doubel harncsskwere purchased
Great quantities of harness leather
was also purchased, which, with the
item of shoes added took 100000
more hides than were raised in the
United States that year. The sad
dies and the harness are still in the
warehouses. -
When the war ended, the govern
ment had 10000 automobiles in the
motor transport corps. 1t still has
them, at least such as have not rot
ted away.
1000 Trucks Standing.
1--WE seen 1000 trucks in one place
where they had stood for seven
months, with no effort being made
to dispose OF them. Up to Septem-
Der 4, last, not machine had been
sold. This was in order that our
industrial system should not be dis
turbed. | saw more than 1000 Pack
ard limousines with the upholster-
IT.. rotted and the tires bursted out
in the open for II months. No eff
fort was made to sell them"
A total of 70,l30 new cars were
received and paid for after the
armistice, he said, while 10000 al
ready on hand were rotting and are
rottfng today. This all in order that
industrial conditions be not dis
turbed. s-ss
They shipped 3o,oo3 new autos to
France after our army had been
brought home, and this despite the
fact that we already had 10000 cars
over there" Mr.. Reavis said.
Five weeks after the last ship
ment went to France, according to
the congressman, we sold all the
cars over there to France at 20 cents
on the dollar and allowed ten years
for payment.
"And we are told that this was in
order that we might keep from break
ing the heart of the world"
He told the story of sugar, how this
country filled the warehouses OF
France and only six weeks ago sold
to that country 26,000,000, pounds at
cents a pound. Not only did the
administration sell sugar to France,
but it sold all that the army had and
there is now nothing left for the use
OF this American army.
Reveals Secret Meeting.
Mr.. Reavis told of a secret meet
ing behind closed doors between rep
resentatives of the war department
and civilians, with every civilian a
representative of big packing insti-
tuition. ....
And the next week, purchase was
made of $22,000O00 worth of cured
meats to feed Europe while at the
same TIME we had 00.000.000 worth
of meat spelling in France"
The congressman refers to this as
conspiracy between these socalled
civilians and the war department
ito ship the meat away for fear of
breaking the market and reducing
,he high cost here at home"
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