New-York tribune., 1921-05-22
The Scrap Pile

Millions of dollars worth of tires
that the American army sold to tbe,
French government and which are nov
in turn being dumped by The French
government on this market are being
offered in sales of one kind and another
designed to interest motorists. Inc
tires are represented to bo frat quality
and exactly as received from the vari-
GUS manufacturers Although they are
undoubtedly firsts, many are at least
three ycars old and In most cases
stood uncovered for months. exposed
to rain, sun and air without any pro"
lection so that they are really only
good tires In appearance and hardly
that.
II American motorists are going to
buy these tires they are bound to be
very much disappointed, They wlll
certainly not stand up, and careful IN
vestigation should be made by any tire
purchaser of bargains that are more
apparent than real.
The following excerpts from the tes-
tin,ony Of Captain r, M. Clendenning,
M. T. c., u. S. A., before the Congress
sional Committee on Foreign Expend!-
tures, regarding the conditions under
which the tires were stored at the
Motor Transport Camp, Verneuil,
France, are OF interest in this con-
nection,
Mr.. Ansell-~Captain, you have been
brought here, along with many other
gentlemen who live in Washington, to
testify about conditions at this large
moter~transport park. l want you to
state in your own way, as briefly and
conciselg as you can, whether or not
you saw any evidences of waste at that
park
Captain Clendenning-I saw a bunch
of tires, estimated to be worth $780,
100000 or $4,000, ,000-~and ! do not
know how much it was worth--that
stayed out in the rain and weather for
ten or twelve months before any cover
was put over them, and suppose
were ruined by that time, having dried
cut, as they were later sold for cent
a pound, think. They were solid tires.
do not know what they were worth,
hut heard estimates put on them to
that effect,
Mr., Ansell-This large quantity of
tires that you referred to, how many of
them did you say there ware?
Captain Clendenning--Well, there
was an acre or so of ground covered
with them, and they we're piled up as
high as they could pile them, Is or 20
feet.
MI AnselI-Brand new tires, were
they?
Captain Cltndenning Yes, sir;
brand new tires, Of course do not
know the exact number Of them, or
anything like that. but the rumcrs
going around were that there were
$40 100000 or S4o,0o0,0oo worth OF
tires going to waste, and it looked like
it to me from their appearance.
Mr.. Ansell-Werc they covered with
tarpaulins or anything like that?
Captain Clendenning-No, sir; they
were not covered with anything for ten
or twelve months, but tha last four or
FIVE months that they we're there they
were covered with tarpaulins.
Mr.. Ansell-Do you know enough
about an automobile tire to tell the
degree of deterioration that takes
place under certain conditions, and the
degree of deterioration that took place
in these tires while they were there in
that condition!
Captain Clendenning-Yes, sir. I
have been in the automobile business
for the last ten years, and do know
that o tire that stands for year, and
more particularly out in the rain and
sun, like the weather we had out there
was, is practically ruined.
Mr.. Ansell-What kind of climate
did you have at Verneul?
Captain Clendenning-Plent of rain,