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Show SHORTAGES OF OVERCDATS IfJ MINTS Many of the Camps Also Short of Woolen Blouses, According to Report of Secretary of War. LATTER ARE VERY HARD TO OBTAIN Senate Military Committee Proposes Creation of Department De-partment of Munitions; Progress of Inquiry. WASHINGTON, Jan. 4. Overcoat sliorl;io at national tfnard and national army training camps were- reported except at Camp Hraureard, Louisiana, Lou-isiana, by Secretary Kaker in a further npon.so today to the senate military committee's resolution urging immediate steps to provide the soldiers with ade-f ade-f 1 1 1 n I. o winter clothing. Many of the on m is Hiill are short of woolen blouses, which the secretary said were particularly particu-larly hard to obtain. The report was based upon the war department's latest telegraphic advices from the division commanders. Emergency Emerg-ency express shipments and local purchases pur-chases have been authorized and Air. JSaker expressed the belief that by today to-day "all the men are comfortable. ' 1 Of a total shortaue of 11.500 over coats, 0;i mp Beauregard needed 10,863. A deficiency of about 68,U00 blouses was si-tittered among thirteen posts, Oaiup Kearny, Cab, needing 13,809. Shortages Shown. lllame for delay in furnishing winter garments was placed by the secretary partially upon supply, but largely upon the transportation situation. Ilia report re-port showed the following shortages: ( ainp W heeler, Li a., overcoats, none; blouses, liMl. t'amp Shelby, Miss., overcoats, none; blouses, alOO. " lamp Kearnv, O'al., overcoats, none; blouses, 13, M00.' ( 'amp Dix, 2"t- overcoats, 19; blouses, 1 441). I amp 'Oraut, 111., overcoats, none; blouses, 3SJ1. Oamp Ouster, Mich., overcoats, 53; blouses, -1"30. Camp Beauregard, La., overcoats, 10,-863 10,-863 ; blouses, 3094. I amp Howie, Tex., overcoats, none; blouses, 372.1. 'amp Dodge, Iowa, overcoats, 50; blouses, 3iMi. Oamp Uouiphun, Okla., overcoats, 2; blouses, none. ('amp Funston, Kan., overcoats, none; blouses 0600. ('amp Wadsworth, S. C, overcoats, 4-r; blouses, 3367. Oaniji Shevidau, Ala., overcoats, none; blouses, 3006. Oamp Pike, Ark., overcoats, 46; i blouses, 1260. Bedding Supplies Adequate. At Camps Jackson, S. C., and Greene, Gal., supplies of both overcoats and blouses were reported sufficient. Bed- i fling supplies were said to be adequate at all camps. To meet the overcoat shortage at Oamp ( .Beauregard, Secretary Baker said 'J2,300 had been expressed iJecember L'6. He told also of receut shipments of GOO overcoats to Camp Custer, 10,000 blouses to Oamp Kunstou, 2000 blouses to Oamp Wadsworth, 2000 overcoats and 6000 blouses to Oamp Dix. ' Instructions have been sent to all to obtain locally and immediately, ' ' said the report, ' ' any uniform garment gar-ment which is short, in order to give each man one whole uniform; to use sizes on hand to exchange with other camps if practicable, and to employ gar ment maker to alt-r garments o as to lit those without ue-:es;iry uniforms." Minor hortag"S ut breeches and un-dtTwenr un-dtTwenr at some ramps worn reporK-d and with the information that camp commanders have been authorized to erure garments from leal markets. Th shortage of blouse- at amp Kearnv wa-i said not to be serious because be-cause of mild climate. Department of Munitions. P pc rotary Baker 's report reached the curnmUtee. at the rlose uf another day's investigation of the army clothing fitua-tion, fitua-tion, marked by introduction of bills in both senate and house for establishment establish-ment of a new department of munitions muni-tions with a cabinet hpad to centralize all government war Supply operations. The new department would operate during the war and one year thereafter. there-after. The bill has the backing of the senate committee and will be strongly pressed. The new secretary of mum-tions mum-tions would have power under the president's presi-dent's direction to control arms, ammunition, ammu-nition, food, clothing, equipment, tent-age, tent-age, transportation and any other materials mate-rials the president shall designate as munitions of war. Government bureaus, agencies and funds necessary to a munitions administration admin-istration would be transferred to the new department which contemplates control of naval as well as army supplies. sup-plies. ''The bill is intended to increase and expedite the supply of munitions of war, " said Senator Chamberlain. Purpose of Bill. "One great trouble with the war establishment es-tablishment as disclosed by the investigation-has been a lack of co-ordination and the -seeming impossibility of getting rid of circuitous methods of doing business. busi-ness. Until there can be co-ordination and methods more direct the United States will be groping in the dark for many months before we can place ourselves our-selves iu proper fighting trim. "This measure places all jurisdiction over munitions of war which is defined at length in the bill and covering everything in one person known as the secretary of munitions, subject to the direction, of course, of the president. It co-ordinates all tho bureaus, cuts red tape,, does away with useless decisions which had tended only to hamper direct di-rect action and gets to the heart of the whole situation. "I believe if congress can1 see its way to the enactment of this measure and the proper man is placed at the j head of the department of munitions, ' America will soon be occupying its ! proper place on the battletront. It will be noted that the measure is only I in force during the continuance of the j war, which .brings it into existence. M I Quality Criticized. Woolen manufacturers and Colonel Elmer Lindslev, inspector and purchasing purchas-ing head of the quartermaster's depot at Philadelphia, gave testimony criticizing criti-cizing tho quality of armv clothing made under the new specifications of the supplies committee of the council "of national defense, providing for use of shoddy. They agreed that standards were lowered and garments and blankets blank-ets of less durability and warmth produced. pro-duced. A bill introduced today by Senator McKellar of Tennessee, as a result of the committee 's investigation of the system of army supply purchasing, would abolish the advisory committees of the council of national defense and prohibit civilians from serving the gov-' eminent under the existing practice at $1 a year. The bill would amend the law creating the council and permit the president to appoint one advisory commission com-mission of seven members to serve without with-out compensation. |