Evening star., 1934-02-15

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among the last called, and is due to
take the stand for a second appear
ance early next week.
Silverman at his home today re-
vealed that A. Mitchell Palmer. former
Attorney General of the United States
has been retained as his counsels in
the current proceedings. He said the
letter to Dern was delivered by Palmer
In his letter Silverman referred to
bids for underwear recently opened at
the Philadelphia quartermaster depot
and said the average bid was SO cents
per garment.
We made no offer of garments TN
der these specifications" Silyerman
wrote, for the reason that we have
seen by the newspapers that your de-
partment, for reasons which we can
not understand. issued an order on
February as follows: Effective this
date, Mr.. Joseph Silverman. his firm,
or firms, and attorneys and agents
representing him are hereby barred
from doing business with the Office of
the Assistant Secretary of War al
though &e have a record of IS years
Of honorable dealing with the depart
ment in the purchase and sale OF War
Department supplies.
Points to Saving.
"If the contract between the Bree-
cot Corporation. of which am secre-
tary, and the War Department under
- inL
tract was executed by both my COM
pany and the War Department, but
no copy thereof has yet been deliv-
cred to us, we're now carried into
effect, the result would constitute a
saving to the Government of at least
100000.
In the contract referred to the
Breecot Corporation agreed to sell to
the Government for 1898 cents per
garment 100000 wooden underShirts
and drawers (Which had been bought
from the Government in 1882 for 1924
cents), and in consideration of this
very low price, the War Department
agreed to sell to the Breecot Corpora
tion an assortment of articles which
were surplus, or could have been de-
clared surplus. at prices and terms
which were agreed upon.
AT the time of the execution OF
this contract it seemed to be very
advantageous to the Government for
the Government was then paying in
the open market for this type and
quality Of underwear about $l25 per
garment. which further appears from
the offers made at Philadelphia on
the 18th instant"
Silverman commented on press re-
ports that certain general officers"
have seen fit to cause the impression
to be widely circulated that this pro-
posed contract was unfair to the Gov
errment" and said: This is not
true. 1t was agreed thereby that the
War Department should sell to us at
fair and reasonable prices goods of
the type that could not or would not
be issued to troops or other Govern
ment departments-or, in other words,
goods that were useless to the Gov
ernment."
Charges Personal AnimOsity.
The letter charged that the oppo-
eitlon OF the officers was because OF
long-standing personal animosity
toward me and my associates" In
this connection Silverman inclosed
to Dern copy of letter of May,
1888, in which he charged Maj Gen.
John L. De Witt, quartermaster gen.
ersl of the Army, with personal
prejudice toward him. This early let
ter had to do with refusal of De Witt
to purchase World War surplus rain
coats and underwear which Silverman
previously had bought from the Gov
eminent and desired to sell back for
the Civilian Conservation Corps.
Silverman asked Secretary Dern to
make no awards under the Philadel-
phia bids until Silverman has had
an opportunity to carry out his CON
tract" for the underwear saddle trade.