Evening star., 1942-12-05

Army Purchasing Aide
Charges Ineffieiehcy
In Contract Policies
Critical Letter Of
Witness Put in Record
Of Small Plont Inquiry
BY CARTER BROOKE JONES.


Army purchases against what he
considered IAN inefficient way of
doing business" at ordnance
headquarters in Washington was
added today to the record of the
Senate Small Business Commit
tee.
The committee, currently investi-
eating the alleged failure of the
Army to give small manufacturing
plants their share of war contracts,
heard this testimony from Frederick
Tomkins, co-ordinator of purchases
for the New York Army ordnance
district.
Mr.. Tomkins under cross exami-
nation by Arthur G.. Silverman,
committee counsel, identified cor
respondence relating to certain
large contract for the New York
area which was negotiated entirely
in Washington. The New York Of
flee, Mr.. Tomkins explained, was
ordered to give a certain contract
for an ordnance product to speci-
fed corporation.
Identifies Letter.
The witness identified a letter
he wrote to Washington stating
that this Office believes a contract
more favorable to the Government
could have been negotiated in this
Office"
Questioned further, MIR. Tomkins
said: My complaint was against
what I considered an inefficient
way of doing business"
He added that the Washington
Office, If it undertook the negotia-
.tions, should have carried them
through and signed the contract,
instead of leaving the contract and
its enforcement to the New York
Office.
Mr.. Tomkins said he told the
Office of the Chief of Ordnance that
the New York Office preferred to
negotiate contracts for that area
Characterizes as Helpful"
Mr.. Silverman brought out from
further correspondence that Mr.
Tomkins had received polite
acknowledgement of his protest
and an assurance that it would be
helpful.
Did you ever hear anything
more about it?" the attorney asked
mo, 1 did not" said the witness
Mr.. Tomkins said when shown
further photostats, that a $19,O0O,-
GOO war contract had been ear
marked by Washington for two
firms in the New York district
when that Office had listed II al
ternate firms which could have
produced the item. The witness
also conceded there had been q
delay of three and a half months
in beginning production of this
commodity. He said it was his
understanding that delay was not
desirable" in such an item, which
ordinarily was of an urgent nature
Very frequently" Mr.. Tomkins
added, "the Washington earmark-
ing is to small plant"
He also insisted that the smaller
plants in and around New York
were getting more business than
at the outset of the war. He told
how this was being done.
Compelled to Subcontract.
1--WE get commitment from the
prime contractor" he explained
that he will subcontract X-per-
centage-as much of the order as
he feels he can"
is there any compulsion for him
to do that subcontracting? asked
Mr.. Silverman.
There is a tremendous amount
of compulsion,' the witness main
tanned.
In regard to small-arms order
which the committee counsel showed
| had been earmarked for specified
companies, Mr.. Tomkins said he un-
derstood this type of manufacture
required national planning and that
certain firms predominated in the
field.
I'VE are putting very many small
plants to work" the witness said,
adding that defects in spreading
procurement had been corrected.
Mr.. Tomkins said the letter pur-
chase" plan of letting contracts,
| ordered from Washington, was re-
garded as measure to assure
speedy delivery of urgently needed
material.
Terms Decided Later.
"A letter purchase, he pointed
out, lis contract without specific
terms. The negotiating is completed
perhaps months later. Meanwhile
production is started"
Mr.. Tomkins completed nearly two
days on the witness stand yesterday
afternoon. Chairman Murray then
adjourned the hearings until Mon
day, when 1t. Gen. Brehon B. Som
ervell, commanding general of the
Services Of Supply, is expected to
| testify.
Senator Ellender, Democrat, of
Louisiana told British witness be-
fore the committee yesterday he
proposed to find out what becomes
of the money" paid for lease-lend
civilian goods shipped to England.
The witness, I. M. Sieff, executive
of a British chain of 236 food and
apparel stores, said the money docs
not go into private hands," but
that its handling was covered by
an arrangement between the United
States and British Treasures. He
added he did not know what the
arrangement" was.
Il intend to find out" Senator
Ellender told him.
In reply to Senator BLENDERS