The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1920-11-24

SUMPTION Oh luuuStly anu fhhctteo
is the only country, actively en-.
gagged in war, which has up to this
time attained full employment con.
dltions.
1.-THE expenditures made by the
/ War Department and the salvage OF
surplus war materials present strik.
ing figures. The total appropria-
tions from April 6, 1917. to June
so, 1920, for War Department ex-
penditures were s25,552.S6s.5 $751;
"a. or this s16,15s.245,576.7S was
expended. Unexpended balances OF
s7,393.123.sS1.61 were turned back
to the Treasury. Deducting the
balance on hand and actual moneys
turned in prior to June 80. 1920,
from the sales of surplus property
and other recoveries, the net cash
outlay to June 80, 1920, is s15,774,-
163,SS9.3S.
s13.5OO, 100000 Net Cost
Credit sales, cash from sales
not yet turned in to the Treasury,
and sales still to be made will un-
doubtedly reduce this last net figure
to about s13,5OO,0OO,000. In other
words, Congress provided with an
unstinting hand for the supply of
our soldiers. and the War Depart
ment took every step in its power
to pervent a shortage in any nee
essary war material and built its
plan to meet the great army in pro-
cess of formation.
There was no shortage. Our SOL
ders were well fed, well clothed,
we'll equipped, generously paid. and
were and ARE being cared for in
sickness and injury by the most
skillful surgeons and medical men,
with every modern hospital facility.
In spite of all this. however,
out of a total of s25, 900, 900
appropriated, about s13,0OO,0OO,-
geo will be the net cost of the war
to the United States, through the
War Department and this latter
figure includes great and valuable
properties and facilities acquired
by the department and permanent
ly retained for the use of the mill
tary establishment.
THAT there may be instances of
overpurchase and overestimate is
inevitable in transactions so vast as
these. The men who made the es-
Inmates and made the purchases,
however, worked in close co-opera-
tion with General Pershing and his
staff and the General Staff in the
War Department, and their esti-
mates and purchases were based on
the experience and opinion of those
in the field and best equipped to
Judge the probable needs of so great
an army.
S424, 156,5S6 In Sales
The other general set of accusa-
lions deals specifically with trans
actions of the so-called surplus
property division, and allege ir-
regularities, favoritism and prof.
teering in the sale of surplus ma
terials. With regard to this, it is
necessary to remember that the
in question are of vast
bulk. Down to and including Aug
ust II, 1929, the money value of the
sales made was approximately $424,
156,5S6 The supplies on which
this sum was realized cost the Gov
eminent approximately $571,993,-
223.
Their individual transactions
many thousands; they were
conducted in various places and by
a very large force of men, for the
most part drawn from civil lifes the
force being progressively reduced
and constantly changing in person
mel as men found it impossible fur
Their to sacrifice their personal bust
ness by remaining in the Govern
ment service.
"The supplies covered by these
were sometimes ordin-
AIRY commercial articles. but more
often were specialties having a
peculiar color, composition, or form
OF packing which rendered them
relatively unstable " the ordinary
retail markets of the country; as.
for instance, the large stocks of
frozen beef which could be dispos-
ed OF only to those who had freez-
ing refrigerators. and similar stocks
OF bacon, roast beef, etc, packed in
cans too large for ordinary family
consumption and being of Il form to
which our people are not accustom-
ed.
Special Markets Required
Many OF the articles, therefore,