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Show SIDELIGHTS lia Harding Annuls Army Harness Contract PACT To'TTr- code prohibiting officers and employees of the government from having any Interest In government property or contracts. "The facts developed by the attorney attor-ney general led to the conclusion that these contracts had been entered Into as a result of a conspiracy on the part of certain former temporary ofllcers of the army to obtain possession of these military supplies." The Individuals Involved in the action ac-tion of the President, Secretary of War Weeks and Attorney General Daugherty, are former Col. George B. Goetz of Ranson, W. Va. ; former MaJ. Joseph C. Byron of Hagerstown, Md. ; former Capt. Azel F. Cochrane, and former Capt. Henry C. Benke, all of whom held emergency commissions during the war. In July, 1920, the four men In question, ques-tion, It Is charged, prevented the sales to the public. In September, 1920, the United States Harness company was formed, and on September 24 the contract con-tract between the company and the War department, which turned over all the surplus, harness and saddles to the company, was signed. Prior to this an option upon this surplus had been given to the company, com-pany, and following Its execution Goetz resigned his commission and signed the contract with the War department de-partment as -president of the United States Harness company. His associates associ-ates were officers of the company. WASHINGTON. Contracts for the disposal of surplus army har- (ness, valued at $25,000,000, were obtained ob-tained by a conspiracy among temporary tempo-rary officers of the army, according to Attorney General Daugherty. Acting on the advice of the attorney general, President Harding has ordered the War department to declare the contracts con-tracts null and void. The following statement was issued: "These contracts were entered Into by the former director of sales, with the approval of Secretary Baker, and provided that the large accumulation of stock of surplus military harness and accessories were to be turned over to the United States Harness company, 1 to be reconditioned and sold or sold 1 In its original condition upon a profit-' profit-' sharing basis. "The grounds for the recommendation recommenda-tion of the attorney general upon which the President acted were that these contracts had been entered Into In violation of sections of the crlmlnn' |