Evening journal., 1921-02-26
ARMY SUPPLIES
ARE ROTTING
Harding Plans to Make In
ventory of Surplus War
Stuff
TO PUT AUTOS
ON THE MARKET
CN. E. A. star sneclall

WASHINGTON. Feb. "a COM
plete inventory Of all LEFTOVER war
materials in possession OF the War
Department as OF March 4 will be
ordered by the incoming Secretary OF
War This will be one OF the first
acts OF the Harding administration.
This inventory Is planned not only
10 show the amount OF these war ma
terials stored from coast to coast. but
also to show their physical condition.
Former Senator John J. Weeks in
slated TO become the next Secretary
OF War. He has discussed this inven.
tory with President-elect Harding.
who not only has approved IT, but
has suggested that the data be made
public when completed.
Present War Department officials
admit they have no accurate infor-
nation concerning the hundreds OF
millions OF dollars worth Of supplies
left on the departments hands at the
armistice.
The situation is described thus:
"The wires are down between the
loutlying depots and the central de-
pots and Washington"
The Harding administration plans
"a send into the field experts who
will make actual inventories on the
ground.
Vast quantities Of supplies are i'm
properly stored.
often these supplies are thrown
together in a great heap, helter~
skelter. like 80 much junk. in the
lopen with no protection.
The consequent depreciation has
lcost the government hundreds Of
millions OF dollars. and each day this
condition continues the loss increases.
Congressman c. Frank Reavis. OF
Nebraska. has frequently called the
attention Of Congress 10 the loss In
automobiles, auto trucks tractors,
mobile machine shops and other
motor equipment.
The NebrasSan, who character
ICES this situation as a national scan
dal. has introduced a bill to compel
the War Department to turn over "a
the Bureau OF Good Roads OF the
Agricultural Department all motor
equipment which can be used in
highway construction. This equip
a ment in turn will be distributed
d among the forty-eight states.
Z The Reavis bill has been endorsed
lby highway commissioners through
lout the nation. who are wiring theii
D. lcongressmen and senators, urginl
70 that the bill be enacted.
G In defense OF the AUTOMOBILE
8 Iwastage. army officials claim tina
N when the armistice came the depart
ment found itself possessed of thou
sands OF trucks and autos with nj
. place to CO." Some had accumulate
! lat ports, some were on the seas
. some were en- route TO the seaboard
Because the equipment had to b.
! removed from the ports to mak'
y room for returning soldiers, it wa
found necessary TO store It In an,
n way possible
Army officials also claim uncer
tainty as TO the future size Of th'
10 larmy made Il unwise to dispose o
10 the motor equipment.
4 Thousands OF tractors were ship
G ped to the Texas border for open-ail
r storage, with most Of them at L
lPaso and Galveston.
Automobiles were shipped 10 CAM
e Jessup. Ga: Fort Sill, Okla; CAM
8 lHolabird. Md. and 10 Columbus, o.
indianapolis. Ind. and other places
Il Thousands of cars were left TO 70
lin the open.
Efforts will be made to dispose o
Ian marketable automobiles early II
!. 1.-The next administration.