Rock Island Argus., 1913-03-21
Program of War Depart
ment Practically Agreed
Upon.
IS NEW APPROPRIATION
Result of Splendid Work of
Congressman Clyde H.
TaVenner.
lspecial TO The Argus.)

Special TO The ArEus.)
Washington, March 21-One million
dollars Of new funds for the Rock Is
land arsenal.
This is the program that the war
department has practically decided on
Plans are being worked out, details
decided on. and the orders to go
ahead!" will in all likelihood be dis
patched TO Colonel Burr at Rock Is
land within the next few days.
The S1,OOO,OOO that will be spent at
the arsenal is to be out of entirely
new appropriations, with the excep-
tiCr Of $15OOOO recently allowed Colo
Iei Burr for the converting Of old
field artillery vehicles into new field
artillery vehicles The $1,000 900 esti.
riate, however. does not include the
item Of $25O,OOO carried in the sundry
c'yil bill for the construction OF the
plant to manufacture gun carriages.
INTO SEVERAL BRANCHES.
The million dollars that is to be
srcnt through the Rock Island arsenal
win go into several different branches
OF work there The only thing that
could bob up to interfere with a part
Of the new program would be the fail
UIs of congress to put through the
100000 special appropriation for the
gun carriage plant because a consid-
erable proportion OF the million is to
DO expended through this proposed
plant.
The item providing the S250,00O
passed both houses of the Sixty-second
congress aud went safely through Aan--
ference II would now be available
hat not President Taft vetoed the
suLdry civil bill, OF which the $780,
OGO item was a part. MIR. Taft was
opposed to the provision in the bill
which appropriated a certain amount
Df money for the prosecution of violat-
ors Of the antitrust law, but made an
exception OF labor unions and farm
crs organizations.
CERTAIN At SPECIAL SESSION.
The sundry civil bill, however, ia
practically certain of passage at tho
extra session which will convene
Auril Z. The proposition objected TO
by Mr. Taft will be dropped out. but
the $25O.00O item for the Rock Island
will be kept in. Fortunately for the
Rock Island arsenal. the sundry civil
bill must be passed. because It car
ries provision for the maintenance Of
several departments Of the govern
ucnt and II It is not put through at
the extra session they will either have
to close down or the employees work
without pay. OF course, neither ca
lamity will happen, because the sun
dry civil bill will be passed under
special rule soon after the extra ses-
SION convenes.
The decision OF the department to
make things hum at Rock Island was
made within the last two or three
days. A week ago the prospects were
just the reverse.
ALI WORK OF TAVENNER.
There was only one man in Wash
mgton outside of the war department
who knew Of the change in the pro-
gram. as concerning Rock Island and
that was Congressman Clyde II. Tav-
euBer. He has been going TO the war
department every day for 10 days pro-
testing against the recent decision Of
tIe department 10 close down the
snail arms plant at Rock Island. He
vas told that II was only a question
OF time until the manufacture OF
small arms would have 70 come to a
standstill because the government now
has 100000 small arms on hand, and
there is little need for the manufac-
tlIre OF more Finally convinced that
there was little hope Of continuing
this plant much longer. Tavenner ask
ed the officials to try to find some
other work for the arsenal. He calico
attention to the fact that the Rock
Island plant is In the middle west
and that shipments by freigN and
express could be made TO all parts OF
tie country at a saving OF transpor-
tatlon charges, as compared to the
Hrsenals in the east. The department
has finally decided to give work to
Rock Island with a vengeance and
the first orders for work have already
started woe
TO CLOSE JUNE 20.
Secretary Garrison recently notified
Tsvenner that the small arms E-ant
would close down June 80. Under the
new program the small arms plant will
continue for az least three months be-
yond that date turning out 90 rifles a
day and manufacturing spare parts
OF small arms. the orders for which
viii be sent 20 Rock Island very soon.
When the small arms plant is clos
ed down. II that becomes absolutely
necessary. most Of the workmen now
employed there will be taken care OF
in the new proposed gun carriage