The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1913-12-15
CAN SAVE MUCH
BY MAKING GUNS
Tavenner Tells Of Comparative Prices
Between Manufacturers and Gov
eminent made Shrapnels
PEOPLE SHOULD THINK IT OVER
Would Have Congress Save Millions
By Doing Work in Navy Yards of
-. United States 49,.

From Congressman G. H. Tavenner
Washington, December 15.-Why
is the War Department paying pri-
vate manufacturers $3.50 for a 3.S
inch shrapnel when it can, and is,
manufacturing the Identical article in
it's own arsenals for $7.94?
Linger for moment over these
figures, Mr.. Reader, it is your money
that is being spent here. Seventeen
dollars and fifty cents is more than
twice 1914. The government can
manufacture two shrapnels for the
price it is paying the ammunition
ring for one, and have S1.62 re-
naming on each transaction.
General VIM. Crozier, Chief of Or
dnance, testified before House COM
mittees, that the government can
save IS per cent by manufacturing
it's own artillery ammunition, and Is
per cent on artillery equipment. The
program of the War Department calls
for $2O,0O0,OOO worth of ammunition
100000 worth this year and
$14,000,000 in succeeding years, and
$11 100000 worth of artillery equip
ment.
Were a business man in Uncle
Sans place would he give a large
portion of this $31,000,000 order to
private manufacturers, or would he
enlarge his own plants and save from
20 to SO per cent on that portion of
the order he would thus be able to
take care of himself?
The solution of the problem is for
Congress to provide in all bills ap-
propriating money for munitions of
war that the work must be done in
the government arsenals and navy
yards. Such provision would save
millions of dollars annually to the
taxpayers.
And incidentally, it might have a
tendency to diminish the systematic
agitation carried on in this country
fer an ever and ever increased
amount of armament, which agita-
ton is especially systematic and pro-
nounced about the time the army and
navy bills are before Congress.
Those who urge that the policy
Of giving the contracts for NUM-
tons of war to the private manufac-
turers be not interferred with, argue
that if these concerns be subsidized
in time of peace, they may be relied
upon for assistance and cooperation
in time Of war
cit is evident" answers Secretary
of the Navy Daniels in his annual
report, that without an armour
plant of it's own the government in
time of war, or impending war,
would be entirely at the mercy of
three manufacturers, and obliged to-
pay practically whatever price they
ask. During the time that war with
Spain was imminent, these companies
refused to accept the price fixed by
Congress after investigation as a just
rate, and declined to manufacture
any armour until they got their own
price of 500 a ton more than that
which Congress had determined on
The love of country possessed by
these companies did not prevent them
however, from furnishing armour to
Russia, as reported to Congress, in
1894, at $249 ton, while they were
charging the United State $616 a
ton.
81 do not see how it is possible for
Congress to justify to the people re-
fusal to erect a government plant.
nor how it can answer the charge
that the same mysterious Providence
which saved this profitable business
to the steel companies three times in
the past, even after money for gov
eminent plant had actually been ap-
propriated, is not still at work ex-
ercising it's beneficient protection
over these lusty specimens of infant
Industries, who are even now under
investigation as violators of the anti
trust law"
The "armous ring" does not come
under the head of invesible govern
ment, as it is possible to definitely To-
cate it, and place our finger upon
it. 1t is composed of the Bethlehem
Steel Company, Carnegie Steel Com
pang, and the Midvale Steel Com
pany. So far, these three concerns
have drawn down seventy-seven mill
lions of dollars worth Of contracts
from the Navy Department alone.