Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-03-04

new democratic ways and means com
mittee Mr. Rainey introduced af1da-
Wits OF Bethlehem Steel company work
men to the effect that the government
inspectors were fooled into accepting
work with serious flaws in it. Each af-
fdavit was subscribed and sworn TO be-
fore a notary public. -
Yet the government has failed TO do
anything in the matter.
1t has been shown that during the
night, when government inspectors
were not present, workmen were com
PEELED 10 treat, patch. and weld inferior
work so that the government could be
fooled into accepting it.
David Williams, in a sworn state
ment. stated: Il know that on an or
der of 5-inch sights for the navy, about
three years ago. that some of these
sights we're found out of alignment
during the company shop test, and that
the steel castings were hammered with
a sledge to bend them so they would
line up. The recoil Of the guns when
these sights were used must have
sprung these castings back to their old
shape. and thereby made it impossible
for our sailors to shoot straight. l Of
fer as witnesses Horace Klinesmith
and Robert Johnson, former employees
of No machine shop"
Referring to "a six-inch howitzer
guns. Williams says: Parts have been
broken in Hanging, and welded with
acetylene gas: axles have been ma
orh ~
nachined wrong. and dOctOred up TO
make it pass inspection. In fact, the
idea in the shop is TO make the work
appear as though it is up to specifi
cations, or, in other words. to get it
past the Inspector by fair or foul
means.
AN investigation where men could
be placed on oath would bring to lighc
a great many things which l haven't
mentioned When it is known that Mr..
Everett, a skilled jeweler, is used on
some of this work, the impossibility of
detecting these things by ordinary in
spectiOn is apparent
Mr.. Rainey, in discussing the afida
Wits. declared that the fact of the con
tinuance of these frauds is evidenced
by the frequency with which guns eX
plode on our battleships and on land
killing and manning men, by the fire.
quency with which boilers on our ships
blow up with such awful results TO hd
man life.
Guns. while being tested by other
great nations of the world, do not eX-
plOde with disastrous results. The
very large number Of these accidents
| leads to the irresistible conclusion that
there are defects in the castings of the
guns which are not made in our gov
eminent arsenals. but are furnished by
| the private steel companies and merely
| assembled in the government arsenals.
I'm disasters in our army and navy
caused by explosions bursting guns.
/ faulty breach locks. etc, in nine years
( 147 men have been killed and 1O2
1 MANNED for life.
{ Attempts to investigate frauds
against this government by the steel
/ trust and sugar trust thieves have not
met with an enthusiastic support on
the republican side of this house. |
might mention, however, that George
/ r. Sheldon. treasurer of the national
/ republican central committee, is a d.
/ rector in the Bethlehem company.
But when the 62nd congress con.
venes it will convene with a democrat
ic majority of Ga, with a democratic
/ speaker presiding over it, with the ma.
jority Of all the committees composed
of democrats, and the steel trust will
/ be investigated And there will also
/ be other investigations which l have
| every reason to believe will lead TO q
more complete reputation of the re,
publican party at the polls than the
reputation of November last"