Evening star., 1934-06-29
WO0DR|NG LIFTS
ARMY LOBBY BAN
Removes Ruling to Widen
Competition in Motor
Program.
Continued From First Page)

--~--~~N-
that until this practice is discontinued
the public will have basis for credit
ing accusations that improper infiu-
ences are successfully exerted."
Where the Government need for
the job TO be done, or the work to
be performed is faithfully and fully
disclosed and bidding Is permitted
thereon, there will be afforded no field
for high-pressure salesmanship.
1T Is In instances where the intent
OF the law is avoided and instead of
disclosing the Government need-the
particular type Of work to be done
there is attempt to Stipulate in detail
high pressure salesmanship finds a
fertile field; influence that will secure
inclusion or expulsion of particular
dimension, device, plan of fabrication
and so forth, may frequently deter
mine the successful bidder"
The controller general said the
War Departments difficulty in such
matters as the present arises large
ly from its failure to faithfully give
effect" to the statutory law governing
purchases, which requires that they be
made of the lowest qualified bidder.
Requirement Optional.
In his ruling earlier Controller Gen.
eral McCarl, had said: You are ad-
vised that the inclusion or exclusion
OF the requirement in request for bids
is for administrative determination
based upon the public need in the par
ticular case, and when included con-
Stitutes q material requirement and
will be given such weight and effect
by this ONCE" In other words, It is
optional with the purchasing agency.
He pointed out, however that while
the Trew Motor Co failed to furnish
an AFFIDAVIT. its claim for the award.
involving SO ambulances, has no
standing because it was not the low
bidder. The Trew Co. had said It
submitted bid Of sl.027.85 and that
the Chevrolet Motor Co. bid was ST.
lis. They had added. though, that
when the bids were tabulated and an
abstract was prepared that Of Chew
rolet was shown at $l,0l5 for each
unit
Upon examination of the original
bids, however. McCarl said it is shown
the Chevrolet bid was for 81 OILS and
not for sl.l15. and a careful exami-
nation failed TO disclose any evidence
of alteration, erasure or any change
in the bid of the said company. He
said the oficer opening the bid has
given AFFIDAVIT that he had no recol-
lection of error in reading the amount
and that even though an error may
have been made in announcing the
figure submitted. the terms Of the bid
and not the announcement are con.
trolling.
The decision Of the controller gen.
eral, it Is understood, removes the last
obstacle in the way of awarding q
number Of disputed motor truck con-
tracts, which have been under In
vestigation by the grand Jury. the
Justice Department and the House
Military Affairs Committee
The legality Of the anti-lobbying
certificates had been questioned be-
fore the controller general by the
Trew Co. Chrysler firm. who in
bidding on an Army contract, refused
to fill out the afidavit certifying that
no one had been employed to solicit
the award.
Contract in Way.
1t was brought out before a sub
committee of the House Military
Affairs Committee that Chrysler could
not subscribe to the certificates be-
cause the Fargo Corporation, q sub
sidiary of Chrysler, has q contract
with New York lawyer who had
agreed to represent it in Washington
in connection with Army bidding. his
fee to be contingent upon receipt Of
an award.
Members of the committee have
stated the Fargo Corporation now is
endeavoring to break this contract.
The committee has pointed out that
the anti-lobbying restriction. coupled
with the N. r. A. ban on Ford has left
only Chevrolet eligible to receive q
contract for light Army trucks.
Meanwhile. investigators for the
committee were returning here from
Philadelphia and New York with what
was said to be important evidence
bearing on testimony of Lieut.. Col.
Joseph I. McMullen Of the Judge Ad-
! vocate Generals Once, that he had
| accepted fees from Atwater Kent.
radio manufacturer, and the Cuban
American Manganese Corporation for
special unoficial services.
| Dern Denies Criticism.
An impending clash between the
committee and Secretary Dern was
| averted late YESTERDAY when the lat
| ter denied he had told newspaper
men the committees investigations
are 'impairing the national defense, "
and delaying the Army motorization
program. His statement follows: "In
the cross-flre Of questions at the press
! conference this morning, there sp-
/ pears to have developed some con-
fusion with regard to my comments
on the delay In Army mechanization
and modernization. As the investi-
cations of certain branches of the
department by the House Military
Affairs Committee were mentioned in
the discussion, it seems that some of
my observations were construed as
being critical of that committee. Such
wes not the intent.
The committee has its duty to per-
form and have made every effort to
facilitate its studies, as am as
anxious as any of its members to have
the affairs of the department con-
Quoted IN the interests of good gov
ernment. do have concern over the
delay in our program, which is the
| result of cumulative Interruptions, but