Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1913-01-25
Col. Buckner Explains
Powder Company Prices

smokeless powder.
II am sure any business man in the
United States will appreciate that
there must be a maximum and a
minimum price, depending on the
quantity of the product purchased,
do not care whether the purchaser
be the government or a private in
dividuah
I'VE believe that we have always
treated our government fairly and
we hatter ourselves that we have
never hesitated to attempt to measure
up to any crisis that has come in our
nations history We know that we
have always been satisfied with rea-
sonable profit and that the very at
mosphere surrounding the manufac-
ture of smokeless powder is sur
charged with elements Of expense
which are continually eating and
sapping and which are not taken into
consideration by the officers of the
government In figuring the cost of
manufacture of smokeless powder in
the government plants And another
thing Complaint is constantly made
that American manufacturers sell
abroad more cheaply than at home.
The DUPONT Company has never
sold a pound of smokeless powder
abroad for less money that it has sold
it to its own government, and 1 know
that no nation on earth buys as good
powder at as low a price as this
government This policy on the part
of Congress, if followed up, Will mean
government monopoly in the manu-
facture of smokeless powder This
nation should hesitate a long time be-
fore it embarks on such a venture.
France is the only nation that manu-
features it's own powder and her ex-
perience should be warning to other
nations
"The dupont Company desires to
continue to supply this government
with powder a service it has render
ed for more rian one hundred years,
but If Il does continue it will do so
on a business basis and not in a
lapbazard way that would be viola
tive of every rule of business.
Congressman Head was certainly
very happy In his suggestion that in
view of the fact that the annual ex-
penditurcs for the Army and Navy
We're in the neighborhood Of quart
pr of a billion dollars and the ex-
penditure for powder upon which thS
efficiency of both branches OF ths
service depend was only about l pei
cent. of this vast sum, it was pas
sing strange that every year "A grea
: hullaballoo marked the expenditure
OF the l per cent while practically
no disturbing or violent attention
whatever was given to the expendi
ture of the 80 per cent
The Powder "Scandal."
In connection with the subject tn
] Army and Navy Register says.
The subcommittee of the Hous
appropriations committee, which ha
had before it the fortihcations bill
performed useful suryice this yea
I in permitting without restriction
hearing Of Mr. Robert 5. Waddel
! who was supposed to possess infor
!, nation damaging to the dupont Pow
q der Company and embarrassing TO tn
! Army and Navy officers who have
do with the award of contract fo
, powder. the preparation of the pow
= der specifications and the inspection {
n the material during its manufacture
= During the past two or three veal
y one or another member of the Hous
!, has made reckless assertions refiec
n ing upon the integrity of those col
- cerned with the production and Oh
- purchase of powder for the militar.
:, naval establishment The discussio
has usually been precipitated durin
a the consideration by the House of II
- fOrtifications bill and the Army an
- naval appropriation bills. The chat
= men OF the House committee havir
{ H.. N4rrH ka.T
= able TO make rejoiners based on. info
- nation supplied them by the chi
~ OF ordnance OF the Army and Il
81 chief of ordnance of the Navy. Tn
= has not been entirely satisfactory
- the critics who have evidently be-
~ literally supplied with charges of
=, more or less scandalous nature fro
~ people who are DESTROYS of sharii
~ the Army and Navy orders for POI
~ der. there being no other reason +
lu this sort OF crusade.
~ This year the House appropriate
~ subcommittee. under Representa-
~ Sherley. took up the subject In
n amplihed form by hearing Mr. Wa
dell, a report of whose testimony h
90 been published in the Army and Ma
70 Register In its issue of Janury is,
5c page ~. The official report of {
.7c testimony covers many pages a
0c shows that MIR Waddell was afford
,0c every opportunity TO tell the comm
lOc tee all he knew. He was, howev
as seriously handicapped, so far as ma
nj ing q good case was concerned, by /
be persistent and even pitiless examiI
re tion conducted by Mr.. Sherley. "
mt was not satisfied with a charge cou'
led ed In general terms and who was
DIS. content with mere insinuations. WI
,d- il was stated that there were irrel
is larities involving representatives
be- the dupont Company and Army q
oy- Navy officers. Mr. Sherley directed
lad Interrogation so as 10 bring out