Evening star., 1934-06-25
McCarI Asked to Decide Le-
gaIity of Woodring Re-
quirement.
THREE MOTOR CONCERNS
SIGN POLICY AFFIDAVIT
Trew Motor Co., Low Bidder on
Ambulances, Tests Clause
0utlawing Solicitors.
BY REX COLLIER.

asked to decide the legality of Assist
ant Secretary Of War Woodring's rul-
ing that bidders for Army motor con-
tracts must swear they employ no
lobbyists or any other outside agents
to solicit awards.
This was disclosed to a House Mill
tary Affairs Subcommittee today by
Maj. Gen. Louis H. Bash, quarter
master general of the Army, who was
subjected to rigid questioning regard
ing War Department contract policies.
Gen. Bash told the committee the
matter was put up to the controller
general by the Trew Motor Co. of this
city, low bidders on contract for SO
Army ambUlances The company re-
fused to submit the so-called lobby
ing affidavit" on the ground that it
was unjust and unreasonable.
No Solicitors Hired.
The company voluntarily told the
War Department, however, that 1t had
employed no one to solicit the con-
tract sought.
The effect of the disbarment of the
Trew Co. was that the Chevrolet
Motor Co. would have received the
contract without competition, the
committee learned The only other
bidder was the Northwest Motor Co.,
agents for Ford cars, who had been
barred under a ruling by McCarl based
on an Interpretation of the N. r. A
act.
The certificate which McCarl now
has been asked to pass upon requires
each bidder to swear that he did not
employ amy person other than a bona
| f1de established commercial or selling
agency maintained by the bidder for
the purpose of securing business to
solicit or secure an award or contract
| or sign an agreement for a commits
sion, percentage, brokerage or contin-
! gent fee"
! Gen. Bash explained to the COM
| mittee that the Assistant Secretary
| of War had this certificate inserted
in all bids after the grand jury hear
| ingS here several monhS ago.
The Assistant Secretary told me
he wanted to correct the situation
brought out during the grand jury
proceedings Gen. Bash testified.
Dodge Refuses to Sign.
The grand jury conducted a long
| inquiry into Army contracts, but, in
stead of returning indictments, sent
| report to the President and Secreary
of War Dern, assailing lobbying prac-
tices at the War Department.
/ Ford. Chevrolet and REQ have
signed the certificates, Gen. Bash said.
but the Dodge people, having refused.
cant get any contracts at the pres
/ ent time"
The Army will have to get Chev-
rolet light trucks, unless the other
| two manufacturers come across with
clean hands," Bash stated By the
"other tWo," Gen. Bash said he meant
Dodge and Ford
I can't see how any one could have
any possible objection to signing this
certificate Gen. Bash said. This Is
an honest effort by the Government to
secure frank and open competition. My
personal opinion is that the certifi-
cate cannot be opposed justly by an
| honest bidder
| agent rec VucStlOncu.
Representative Goss. Republican. OF
| Connecticut. a member of the COM
! mittee. asked Gen Ba n if the reason
for the Trew Motor Co.'S refusal to
sign the affidavit was not because the
! Fargo Co, Middle West distributors
for Dodge products, had contract
with an agent on a contingent fee
| basis" The witness said he had no
personal knowledge of that fact.
1t was recalled today that the
grand jury questioned officials of the
Fargo Co. regarding charges that the
company had employed someone on
contingent lee plan to secure an
award under the Army's $1O,ooe,000
motorization program.
In a letter to the War Department
the Trew Co. challenged the legality
of the certificate requirement, on the
grounds that there is no justification
or reasonable purpose for requiring
an affidavit as part of the bid and
| that the War Department has no au-
| thority to alter the standard contract
| form.
Bids Information Withheld.
Gen. Bash was questioned about a
sign posted at Camp Holabird. mill
| tary testing ground for automobiles,
| reading that no information regarding
bids would be given out other than
| that disclosed at the formal opening
| of bids. Gen. Bash expressed surprise
/ that such a notice had been posted
and pointed out that the law requires
/ I1aA t,1fo h. do Vnt t1ak. L.
to competitive bidders after the bids
are opened.
Gen Bash bluntly told the commit.
! tee. Il think the committee is on the
wrong track on these specifications
Apparently somewhat nonplussed BY
the officers statement, committee
! members pressed him for an explana-
tion and he proceeded to correct
| what he termed a mistaken impress
sion" the committee had as to how
| specifications we're drawn up and ap-
| proved.
Gen. Bash said Camp Holabird does
not originate specifications or change
them, but Representative Goss quoted
! from the testimony of another Army
ofticer who had said that speciflca
tions we're drawn at Holabird. Gen
Bash explained that the specifications
originated at the War Department
! here and were sent to Holabird fol
| checking as to engineering details
They must then be finally approved
by the quartermaster general and AS.
sistant Secretary of War. he said.
mo jokers can creep into specifica-
tions except by the merest accident"
he declared. mo one along the line
can doctor specifications without being