The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-22
Protests Call Attention to
Criminal Negligence of
War Department.
DEMOCRATS ARE AROUSED
Conditions In One Louisiana
Town DenOunced-COmplaints
Go to Congress Members.

Scattered throughout the cotton belt
are piles of rotting stuff which was
purchased by the War Department at
a. cost of millions of dollars during the
war for use in the manufacture of
munitions, and which in that wild orgy
Of extravaganza into which the War
Department has.fung itself have been
abandoned
These piles Of what once was val
liable material could. have been of
great assistance in reducing the high
cost Of living and restoring the coun-
fry to a normal basis il the War De-
partment had returned them to the
Industries Of the South for manufac-
xure into hats and clothing.
But as matters now stand the
money that was raised on Liberty
bonds to be expended upon this mu-
milton material was wasted, as it is
now beyond reclamation. Letters de-
nouncing this inexcusable wasteage
are being received by various mem
bers of Congress, even from rock
ribbed Southern Democrats
One striking example of this deplor-
able neglect is to be found in the neigh
borhood of Bunkie. La. city given over
largely to the cotton industries, where
large branch mill of the Union Seed and
Fertilizer Company is located.
Bought the MiIps output.
The War Department purchased that
mills entire output of cotton linters dur
ing the crushing season Of 1917 and 1918,
paying a good price for It, 1t was in
tended that the cotton linters, which are
byproduct of considerable value and
usefulness should be used in the manu-
facture of war munitions. Instead of
carting this material away to munitions
plants. the War Department permitted
hundreds of bales to remain about the
yards of the big plant.
These bales to-day are in the same
condition as vast quantities scattered
about at other points. Their appearance
10 described by Louisiana business man
ana former army officer in letter which
has been received by Representative
James B. Aswell OF Louisiana as fol-
lows:
The bagging around the bales has
rotted, and for three long years these
large stacks OF once beautiful white cot
ton have been at the mercy of the ele-
ments and cattle and marauders of every
sort To-day they are shapeless heaps
OF black, rotted junk, an eyesore TO the
town, unfit even for the cattle TO feed
upon or negroes to steal for fuel"
The letter expresses the indignation
OF the writer and of his neighbors by
saying:
"Our Liberty bonds paid for this cot
ton. Our childrens children will be
called upon to redeem those bonds, which
were fed into the NAV of an extravagant
and wasteful Government. Why could
not this cotton have been returned to
the Industrial life of the country and
used in the manufacture of cheaper hats
and clothing?
Warning to Party Leaders.
And just, here let me say another
thing: The leaders OF the Democratic
party should not feel too secure In the
partl loyalty of the Solid South. A
new age is dawning I'm the political life
OF our people, even in Democratic
Louisiana. Ask any number OF rock
ribbed Louisiana Democrats as 10 their
Views on the coming Presidential
election. and five OF ten answers will be
I'm n Democrat. but from the stand
point of national prosperity we would
do better under Republican admins
tration.' Ask any young Louislanaian
OF intelligence what he thinks OF such n
sample OF waste, and his answer will be.
IF this pile of rotted Government cotton
had been In one of the doubtful States.
such as Ohio. Indiana or Illinois, II
would have been moved
Tradition and sentiment and the
negro question are all that are holding
the Solid South in the Democratic party
to-day and not the League OF Nations
covenant or the party's record OF achive-
ment."
This mans sentiment appear TO be re-
Elected throughout all the Southern
States where similar examples of waste
by the War Department are to be found
The conclusion generally arrived at by
persons who report having witnessed
such things il that which the writer OF
the letter to Representative Aswell
strongly hints at The War Depart
ment, they believe. felt that II could do
rs IL pleased I'm the Solid South with
out fear OF arousing popular indignation.
IL is pointed out nat had these valu-
able stocks been stored in full view OF
city In the North the War Depart
ment would not have dared to permit
them to rot publicly; that II might have
caused them to be dragged off TO sprne
secluded place where the voters would
not know what ultimately became OF
them, or Il might have sold them Mt
sacrifice rates to proflteers. but that un-
der no circumstances would II have
taken a chance on losing the votes OF a
doubtful community by so Haunting
its inefflciency before the public gaze.