Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-28
NAVY YARD TO BUILD A SHIP
House Bill Provides for New Cruiser in
Answer to Public Olamor,
COST OF VESSEL TO Be CAREFULLY NOTED
Anticipated that In This Manner REL
ative CheRpness of Government
and Contract work Can
he AscertaIned.
Iron a San Corresrondentl !.

WASHINGTON, April 2T.-CSpecial.)-
Chairman Foss OF the house committee on
naval affairs, in speaking Of the action OF
his committee authorizing the construction
Of one Of the proposed new vessels IN one
OF the government yards, said today: at
Is an open question as to whether or not
1t Is wise to build vessels in government
navy yards. The general belief is that
money can be saved by giving such work
out under contract. This belief is based
upon the fact first, that government en-
ployes work eight hours a day. while
those in outside yards are employed nine
or ten hours. Second. the rate of wages
for government labor is relatively higher
all along the line than outsiders pay.
Third the government allows its employees
two weeks vacation each every year with
full pay, and in addition to this there are
six or seven public holidays during which
employees do no work but are paid full
wages Just the same.
Il have made a personal Investigation
and quite an extensive one at that-into the
methods prevailing among European gov
ernments. I find that in England about
one-half Of the vessels now building for
the royal navy are being constructed in
private yards and the other half in Yards
belonging to the crown. As nearly as I
could ascertain the cost Of construction is
slightly lower in the private yards in Eng
land than in those Of the crown. During
the recent visit of Prince Henry the chief
constructor of the German navy called on
me here and we had a talk about this sub
ject Of the relative cost Of private and
public construction of vessels Of war. The
German admiral said that in spite Of the
fact that wages are lower in the govern
rnaUt " rda than thoy IL ~, -I.zA. "a
private builders a great deal Of money could
be saved by giving out contracts to the
private individuals and corporations.
Yields to Public Demands.
I'VE have decided" continued Mr.. Foss.
ito make the experiment because Of the de-
mand from every section OF The country
where the government yards are located.
The secretary of the navy will be author
lied to have a battleship or a cruiser built
in one Of the government yards. He is in
structed to keep an absolute account Of
every dollar expended on this vessel so that
by the time it is finished congress will be
in a position to Judge as to the advisability
OF building vessels in the public navy yards
rather than through the contract system"
Representative Hugh Dinsmore Of Ar
kansas has won out in the primaries and is
49, ~ oAb WI DihS-
more is a man who is most cordially liked.
His friends stretch from one side OF the
house to the other and 1t Is doubtful il there
is another man in congress in whose sue
cess In his primary campaign so many Of his
associates were so sincerely interested. Mr..
Dinsmore has served in the diplomatic corps
and has had a military training. He is a
member OF the Army and Navy club and is,
besides, one OF the regents OF the Smith
sonian Institution. These latter facts were
used by his opponents in an attempt to de-
feat him. A statement was made on the
stump something like this: "Dinsmore is a
member OF the Army and Navy club in
Washington. That club is composed OF men
who are heroes In war and loafers in peace.
He Is also d member of the Board of Re
gents OF the smithsonian Institution. That
organization is one OF the swell social clubs
OF Washington. Its members are all dudes.
Do you want to be represented by such a
fellow as this?" But Dinsmore won out in
spite OF the fact that he remained in Wash
ington instead OF proceeding to his home 10
refute these peculiar charges.