The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1913-09-17
ROB PUBLIC CRIB
STEEL MILLS With MAN0P0LY
MAKE SANE BIDS ON
ARMOB FOR BAT7LESHlPs

Three Steel Makers Seek to Hold Up
Government by Demanding Profit
of Over a Million on Work Worth
Three Millions-May Mean Gov
ernment Plant. =!
One year ago, the Navy depart
ment asked for bids on armor plate
for battleship No. SO, now named the
Pennsylvania. The bids Of three DIFF
ferent steel companies were received,
and when they were opened it was
found that each company had quoted
exactly the same prices on the half
dozen grades Of armor plate asked
for. There was not variation OF
single cent, although the price rang
ed from S454 per ton for the lowest
grade to s1,S75 for the highest.
Two months ago the Navy depart
ment again asked for bids for armor
plate, this time for battleship No. 80,
sister ship OF the Pennsylvania. The
same three companies again submit
ted bids given, and when they were
opened few days ago it was discoT-
cred that again the bids Of the three
companies were the same, even to the
penny. Moreover, the figures quoted
were identical with those given last
year for battleship No. 3S.
The three firms which submitted
the bids, and which, by the way, are
the only ones in the United States
equipped for the manufacture OF ar
NOR plate-are the Carnegie Steel
company, better known as the Steel
trust, the Bethlehem Steel company,
controlled by Charles M. Schwab, the
former Steel trust head, and the Mid
vale Steel company, which has been
rated as an independent company. #
these companies were figuring close
on their profits for making the ar
NOR plate, there might be reason
able excuse for the bids being the
same, but Investigations have shown
that the armor plate desired can be
made at an average price Of 1914 a
ton. The average price asked by
these three companies was s454 a
ton.
A simple bit Of arithmetic shows
that these steelmakers are attempt
ing to hold up the United States gov
ernment for profit Of $40 a ton.
The amount needed totals S,054
tons, hence the Steel trust and, in
this case, its allies, calmly demanded
total profit OF s1,127,56o on the
job Of providing armor for warship
built by the public for it's own de-
fence. The estimated cost Of the bat
tleship's armor was figured at no
more than s3,500,000 by the Navy
department.; the steel companies de-
mand almost 33 per cent. Of this as
profit. In other words they seek to
charge the public 100000 for do
ing s2,G00,0o0 worth Of work, SIM
ply because the public has no other
place to get 1t.
The attempt Of the armor plate
makers to dip their hands deep into
the public purse has resurrected the
remedy suggested in Congress year
ago, that the government make its
own armor place. A bill for the es-
tablishment Of such plant was in
troduced at that time by Senator
Ashurst, Of Arizona, who asked an
initial appropriation Of S1,600,ooo
for the work. This resolution still
is in committee, but week ago Rep
resentative Britten, OF Illinois, intro
duced into the House a bill seeking
an appropriation OF s7,ooo,ooo for
the establishment Of such plant,
complete in every detail. In the face
Of the Steel trusts attempted hold
up, it is certain that the project Will
receive considerable attention and
study.
The success Of the government
powder manufacturing plant Will
make plenty Of friends for the armoT
plate proposition. Some years ago
the United States was confronted
with the same problem in the pur-
chase Of powder for the army and
navy that it now faces in armor
plate. The government built a pow
der plant, entered into direct compe-
tition with the powder companies,
and to-day the United States is saw
ing s26S.SO on each ton Of powder 1t
uses.
A government armor plant Is not
new thing by any means. France
has erected plant for the manufac-
ture of q portion of the armor plate It
requires. Russia makes practically
all it's own armor plate, while Italy
has entered the field Of foreign COM
petition. Some armor now Is being
made for the Italian government IN
the United States, but the price 10
kept a secret. Japan has two gov
ernment factories, installed under
the direction Of Americans, and 1t 10
freely predicted that England Will
make her own armor in the near fu-
ture.
Woman Bather Mobbed.