Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-05-19
CLAIMS YANKS
LOOTED STOCKS
FRANCE BOUGHT
French Deputy Charges or
ficers and Men With Who'll
sale TheftS.

PARIS, May 19-Ameriean officers and
soldi,is were guilty of wholesale looting
in American supply camps after they
had been sold to the French government
| following the armistice, Deputy Charles
Vavasseur charged in a lengthy speech
| in the Chamber of Deputies on the
American stocks scandal"
Vayasseur alleged that 81 ,945 Of the
Y, 156 automobiles sold to France by tbs
United States Government mysteriously
disappeared before they were turned over
and that of 2O,97O motorcycles France
purchased, only 2,9S7 were fonud when
the American troops had gone away. One
American officer, he asserted, shipped
home 1900 motor cars and tons of other
merchandise and other soldiers carried
away truckloads of goods over the gro
tests of French supervisors.
Vavasseur demanded that the Frenc1
government make immediate representa-
tions to Washington and ask for res
duction of the purchase price, 100000, coo.
II 90 not want to call in question the
good faith of the Washington Govern
ment or the honesty of the American peO-
ple," he said, when several deputies pro-
tested against his accusations against
American soldiers, "but l do want to
point out the misdeeds Of a few indi-
viduals and call attention at the same
time to the laxity of French officials.
when the French government entered
into conversations with the United States
for the purchase of American supplies
left in France, Judge Parker. represents
ing the American Government agreed In
writing that from April 8, 1919, on, the
United States would dispose of no more
Of the supplies without the consent Of
the French government. Despite that
hn ceased
selling in wholesale and in retail lots.
"The French government accepted the
American inventory as scrupulously ex-
act and without confirming it. The con-
tract was signed Aug. l, 1919. In the,
months intervening the Americans con-
tinued to dispose of the supplies.
'In this contract the Americans re-
served the right to remove material they
had sold before Aug. 1, as well as ma
terial for the sale Of which negotiations
were in progress when the contract was
signed They also reserved the right to
use any material they needed during the
remainder of their stay in France and to
take any goods needed by the troops In
departing for America
But when the first French agents ar
rived about Aug. they were unable to
take inventories. Certain subordinate
to examine the stocks and compelled
them, if they desired to remain in the
camps. to live in certain barracks and to
obtain special permits before going out !.
Furthermore, they found the greatsyf
Disorder, goods of all kinds and in such
enormous quantities that one might have
thought the Americans came to France
to start gigantic commercial enterprise.
So great was the disorder that when the
French government finally took charge
snd began to sell. buyers who thought
they were purchasing typewriters often
received boxes labeled 'typewriters,' but
actually containing bars of chocolate.
"At the camp of Saint Suplice, regu-
lar robbery was carried on. Every day
Merchandise in enormous quantities
PASSED out and when one of the French
representatives objected the American Of
! lcers pointed to the reserves made by
he American Government in the con-
tract At the Gievres camp things were
in snch a mess that it took more than
year for US to complete an inventory.
At this juncture another deputy inter-
Jected:
ut was a sort of Ali Baba's cave,
wasn't it,"
NO." replied NJ vavasseur. There
were only forty thieves in Ali Baha's
cave"