The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-02-10
ANGRY BIDDERS
RESENT PLANE,
CCC PURCHASES
Congress May Act Unless
Grand Jury Sits All
Charges.

BIZ Scrfpps-HoicGrd Newspaper Alliance
WASHINGTON, Feb. 10. - Why
changes were made in specifications
for army supplies and whether the
changes gave an advantage to Ger
tain bidders for contracts are ques-
tons that are being pondered here
in the district grand jury room and
in the committees of congress that
have jurisdiction over war depart
ment matters.
The grand jury inquiry, which
may result in the indictment OF
four or more persons on charges OF
attempted conspiracy to def1aud
the government, has been confined
thus far to events surrounding the
advertising for bids on army trucks.
But bidders who thought theye were
not getting a fair deal have also
carried to members of congress
stories of unorthodoX handling OF
purchases of civilian conservation
corps equipment and details in con-
necton with contemplated purchase
of army airplanes.
Unless the whole affair is
threshed out satisfactorily by the
grand jury there probably Will be
an exhaustive congressional investl-
cation into what promises to be-
come the first major scandal OF the
Roosevelt administration.
Discord in War Department
There is serious discord in the
war department. 1t is indicated
Assistant Secretary of War Harry
H. Woodring, who supervises pro-
curement activities in the depart
merit. has not always agreed with
various army bureau chiefs IN the
letting of contracts.
Other army officers who have had
a hand in purchases of war depart
ment supplies have told their
stories to the grand jury, as has Mr..
Woodring. All witnesses appearing
before the grand jury were required
to waive immunity. The other Of
ficers include Lieutenant Colonel B.
F.. Miller, chief of motor transpor-
tation of the the quartermaster
generals office, and Colonel A. O..
Seaman, supply chief of the ma
tional guard bureau.
The controversy has not yet been
publicly developed to the point
where it is possible to report whether
the differences over specifications
are mere differences in opinion
backed up by engineering argyll
ments or something more than
that.
What has been going on outside
of the war deartment has occupied
the attention of the grand jury for
most of the four days that it has
been questioning witnesses. The
jurors have heard the testimony OF
officials of the General Motors
Company, the Marmon-Herrington
Company of indianapolis and other
auto manufacturing concerns, who
told how certain lobbyists ap-
preached them and offered to see
that the companies shared in the
award of $10,000,000 worth of con-
tracts for army motoriation equip
ment. The lobbyists are reported to
have represented that they had
enough influence to see that the
specifications were satisfactory.
Lobbyists Influence" Unknown
Whether the lobbyists had an Gin
side track" and actually were in a
position to make good on their
promises is something that is said
to be still puzzling the grand
jurors and is a matter of keen in
terest to members of congress who
had a hand in starting the inveSti-
cation.
The interested members of con-
gress are inclined to keep hands off
until the grand jury inquiry has run
its course. United States Attorney
Leslie c. Garrett recently tele-
phoned Representative Ross Collins
(Dem., Miss, chairman of the
house subcommittee that handles
war department appropriations, and
suggested that Mr.. Collins appear
before the grand jury. Collins de-
clined.
IF I decide to take part in an
investigation it will be an investiga-
ton before my committee" the con-
gresham said.
The Smithsonian Institution has
added to it's exhibits the first prac-