Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-06-10
STATE CHIEF
EXCUSES SALE
OF WAR JUNK
Continued FROM Page one.)

time approximately 100 trucks upon
which repairs are necessary before they
can be assigned 10 STATE work.
THE aggregate market value Of this
machinery alone Is 3 hgure that rep
res"uts equipment for State highway
work that Il would take Indiana 10
accumulate and nj great cost II It was
necessary 10 purchase 1t from commercial
dealers. The sntometive equipment OF
the y department obtained through
Federal war surplus materials IL the
very backbone OF the organization that
Is developing RAPIDLY splendid system
II State roads throughout THIS com
nunwealth. Admittedly the maintenance
feature OF State HIGHWAYS is imperative,
without this rolling equipment, maiu-
tenance TO the standard as now main.
tained by this commission would be I'm
possible.
IT Is the opinion Of the mem hers 81
this commission that refusal Of this body
to accept some OF the useless war equip
ment-- Useless as far a. highway work is
concerned--and thus cut the state off
from obtaining valuable equipment that
we mrst have to continue our program of
good roads-would be short sighted. The
difference In value between the material
that Is disable and the material which
we can not Use, but have been accepting
In order to obtain the preferred equip
ment Is 80 great thnt we would stand
In the position Of obstructionsts II we
failed to accept the material offered"
Jealousy between the War Department
and the Department OF Agriculture of tho
Federal Government was rited MS q rea
son for the difficulties that have arisen
ny-cr w. Itry Sc Ni,,c rlD1
by the various States. Mr. Crawford said
Under the law passed by Congress gov
erning the disposition of surplus mate
rial Nov 0. 1921 the War Department
transfers to the Department Of Agricul-
ture surplus stock not needed for the pur-
poses IF the War Department.
PROVISION OF
LAW OTSTED.
This section Of the law says:
THAT the Secretary Of War be. and he
Is hereby, authorized and directed TO
transfer to the Secretary Of Agriculture
upon his request. all war ma terials, equip
ment, and supplies now or hereafter de-
clared surplus from stock now on hand
and not needed for the purposes Of the
war Department. but suitable for use In
the imp of highways. and that
the same shall be distributed among the
States to be used IN the construction, re-
construction. and maintenance Of high
ways such distribution TO be upon the
same basis as that hereinafter provided
for in this act In the distribution of Fed
eral-aid fund"
From experience Of the Indiana State
highway commission 1t Is apparent that
material other than that suitable FOR use
in Improvement Of highways has been
sent from the War Department to the De-
psrtment of Agriculture and wished on
the State highway commissions.
In the transfer of Government ma
tarial the title according to regulations
Of the highway bureau must remain with
the Government. There appears to have
been tacit agreement between the bu-
reau and State highway commissions
that this feature Of the law need not
apply.
The director of the commission for In
diana says that every deal is open to in
spection and that he believes that the
most money was obtained in the method
of disposal followed here.
AS question OF national policy mem
hers of the highway department ex-
pressed the view that it was to settle
dispute between the War Department
and the Department of Agriculture. the
present law was passed by Congress-
They fear that the exposure of the
methods of disposing of surplus ma
terials coming from this State, may affect
Indiana's chances of obtaining material
on an even footing with other States.