Evening star., 1932-12-19
BATES IS ACCUSED
OF DOUBLE CROSS
|NSHANNON PROBE.
Rich Charges Prison Head
Deceived Members of
House Committee.
LEWISBURG MACHINERY
IS ISSUE AT HEARING
Chairman Of Group Criticizes
Naval privileges" in Buying
Of Tires and Tubes.
BY tho Associated Press.

Representative Rich, Republican. Of
Pennsylvania, charged today at a House
committee hearing that Sanford Bates.
director Of the Bureau of Prisons. had
double crossed" members Of the COM
mittee of representatives investigating
Government competition with private
business by installing equipment for
the manufacture of furniture at the
Federal prison in Lewisburg. Pa.
Rich made his statement after c. p.
Garvin. representing the National Sta
TONERS Association. had testified that
the steel furniture equipment In the
Lewisburg prison would enable the
manufacture Of more steel furniture
than all other private makers In the
United States combined"
A member Of the committee headed
by Representative Shannon Oemocra)
Of Missouri. Rich said: If understood
him correctly, and think did, Bates
came here and told us that he would
try to stop the placing Of high-speed
machinery In that Lewisburg Prison"
Instead" he said, II understand that
the high-speed machinery is being, or
has been, installed and that it will man
ufacture steel furniture in direct COM
petition with private business.
Double Cross" Charged.
Bates said he would try to arrange
their hands occupied and that he did
not wish to compete with private busi-
ness.
II consider that he has double
crossed this committee"
An attempt was recently made by
Representative Stafford CRepublican)
Of Wisconsin. also member Of the
Shannon committee. to keep an appro-
priation in the Treasury-Post Office
supply bill from being used to buy
prison-made products to equip Govern
ment buildings. Stafford assailed the
placing of furniture machinery in the
Lewisburg prison. His amendment,
however, was voted down.
Chairman Shannon of the committee
told newspaper men today the Navy
had circulated ."private communica-
ton" which said patrons Of the Navy
commissary stores could buy standard
auto tires and tubes at a price approx
imately so per cent Of the average re-
tail price"
1T was signed" Shannon said, "by T.
S. Coulbourn. lieutenant commander.
and was addressed to patrons Of the
Bureaus OF Supplies Accounts"
quotes from Circular.
He read a portion of the circular.
which said:
'As a means Of preventing causes
OF complaint on the part of local
dealers. which may eventually result
in discontinuance of tires and tubes
sales, authorized patrons are earnestly
requested to hold any information con-
corning same as strictly confidential" :"
Shannon said the circular was issued
at Newport, r. l., on July l. 1882.
1T shows" he said, that members
Of the Naval Department are getting
privileges which the average private
citizen does not have and it also shows
that the Government is competing un-
fairly with private business"
Shannon made portions Of the cir
cular public after the testimony of
Capt. Brantz Mayer Of the Naval
Supply Corps, on the establishment
for the manufacture Of officers uni
forms at Brooklyn.
Mayer said If the committee thought
this activity interfered with private
business, its adjustment would be re-
commended to the Secretary Of the
Navy.