The daily sentinel., 1913-12-13
MAKES EXPOSE Of
FRAUD IN ARM0R
PLATE CHARGES
Congressman Tavenner Shows
How the Government Has
Been Robbed.
tFrom Congressman c. H. TavennerJ

(From Congressman c. II. Tavenner)
Washington. Dec. l3-That a ring
o. private manufacturers is outrag-
eohsly oNercharging the government
LOT munitions OF war. is revealed be-
yohd successful contradiction in a
table prepared by Colonel George
tgomery, commandant at Frank
lord arsenal, Philadelphia.
me figures indicate that the gov
eminent can save from 20 to so per
cent on army contracts running into
millions OF dollars annually by in
cIeasing the capacity OF the govern
ment aresnals and doing all of its
own manufacturing of war materials
The report shows that on orders
Tor ammunition given to Franliford
arsenal instead of private manufac-
turers between July l. 1912, and
April 20. 1913, amounting to ST.
9OO, S4.O5, the government saved
1879 ,S4.94, or nearly one-half the
amount of the order.
In other words, had the same con-
tract been given to the ring of pri-
Vate ammunition manufacturers, the
same amount of ammunition would
have cost the government $2,S79,-
sO4.99. or $979,S40.94 more than it
cost the government to fill the order
itself. These calculations are based
on the cost of the ammunition manu-
featured in the arsenal, as compared
with the latest contract prices for
the same articles procured from out
side manufacturers.
The total arsenal costs include Is
per cent to cover administration, de-
probation, insurance and interest
charges. Here are few typical
comparisons shown in the report
which constitute an unanswerable
argument why the government
should enlarge its arsenals and man
ufacture larger proportion of its
ammunition and other munitions of
war than it is now doing:
Total arse Total con-
nal costs tract costs
ain. sharp. case sl.75 ais
5-in. shrapnsl s.55 5.9G
Sin. steel SHE'LL 2.39 BOZ
3.S-in. steel she'll 4.S1 9.45
Another table of the report shows
that on an order for $500, 12O.11
worth of artillery ammunition now
being manufactured by the ring of
private manufacturers. the govern
ment is losing $312.214.S4. To put
il in another way, s312.214.S4 OF the
taxpayers money or nearly one-half
OF the amount of the entire order
would have been saved had this con-
tract been given to the government
arsenal
These figures so far as they relate
to the cost of ammunition in govern
ment arsenals, are based on the cost
of manufacture at frankfort arsenal,
where coal Is used to obtain power.
Should the manufacturing be done
at the government arsenal at Rock
Island, H., where the government
has a power plant in the Mississippi
river and consequently absolutely
free power, even much better show
ing could be made on the side of
government manufacture of the mu-
nitions of war.
A striking feature of the COMPARE
Sons of government cost OF manufac-
ture as compared to the private con-
tractors prices, is that the govern
ment works it's employees but s
hours a day while the private con-
tractors work their men 8 and in a
majority of cases 10 hours a day.
Government employees also receive
higher wages for the shorter days.
Nor Is that all. Uncle Sam pays his
men for 10 days annual leave of alb
sence, for national holidays. and
for 10 Saturday afternoons in the
summer time. during which time he
receives no labor in return. Yet
the government cost of manufacture.
including Is per cent for deprecia-
ton and interest. Is from 20 to 80
per cent below the prices charged by
the ring of private manufacturers.
Query: Since it is obvious that the
private manufacturers do not divide
their almost fabulous profits on the
fat government contracts with their
employees, why should Uncle Sam
continue to BIO an easy mark?