Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1913-07-15
WOULD SAVE A
million A YEAR
SECRETARY DANIELS hDNOCN NTES
THE BuILDING OF FEDERAL
ARMOR PLATE FACTORY.
declares II IS ECONOMY
AZ Present Time Is no Competitive
Bidding and Private Plants Are
Steadily Boosting the Price.

WASHINGTON, July 14.-Naval
experts figures showing that a gov
eminent armor plate factory, costing
SIS. .466, 900 would save $40 ton on
eimor. or more than a million dol
lars net year. were submitted to
congress today by Secretary Daniels.
Z he secretlry's report was sent I'm re-
sEonse to n supplemented previous
statement issued by him advocating
government-Owned armor plate
plant
Millions can be saved either by op-
Grating a government plant or by
compelling competition among the
~ ivate manufacturers, Mr. Daniels
drclared. Therefore. he asked CON
Lress to IN Ike "A Fun, thorough and
early Investigation of the cost Of an
armur plate factory. and the cost of
manufacturing armOr plate In fac
tories owned by concerns dcpandent
upon government patronage
Reviewing the situation i'm his re-
Iort. the secretary said the accepted
plan had been that the Bethlehem,
Carnegie Midyalc plants, should be
given the drmOr work at practically
been takcn,' he said, at clearly fol-
lows that the manufacturers them
solves, conyincyed that one-thlrd OF
tho work Is coming without much
reference to the price they may bid
have not overlooked the advantage of
putting In bids practically Of the same
figure and at the same rate. They
have argued that If some Of them put
ir a bid lower than the others, the
only result would be that the other
two firms would have to come down
in their price to that OF the lowest
bidder I'm the eventual distribution
of the work"
He-explained that three European
countries, France. Italy and Russia.
lave sought relief from the high cost
OF armor plate by the operation OF
government owned plants. while
Japan has built two government fac
tories. He found the same subject
aPitated I'm England where many
agreements and cXtortionate prices
have been made The foreign manu-
iacturcrs qppear TO have been able 10
Keep up higher price for armor
tran those IN the United states he
ndded.
Although money for an armor plate
plant was provided in an appropra-
ton bill passed at the beginning ~
the second Roosevelt administration
after an Investigation. the plant was
never constructcd. In consequence
tn armor plate manufacturers. were
allowed 10 jump their prices from
1896 ton In 1906 ~ si2O "a ton In
1907, and to keep II at that figure
un last year when they wcro ad-
yancod. under the excuse Of increas-
ed expenses caused by the cight-hour
law. % $54j a tom
As to the expense Of government
rlant and the saving 10 the thus ac-
,cmplished. MI Daniels said:
"Thc cost Of plant capable of
turning out ten thousand tons a year.
which is about half of the armor
roeded I'm a two-battlcship program
Is estimated by the chief of the bureau
~ ordinance at IS. f6G. 900 and the
cost of the Ormor at 1914 a ton. The
estimate of this officer IS considerably
Il excess OF the figures given the gov
Crrment by the last board which in
vtstigated The subject But cten at
this estimated cost Of the plan and
he cost of S3l4 ton Of armor plate
there would me effected a saving Of
{140 a ton over the price now paid
nat is S45t n ton.
ION ten thousand tons the govern
ncnt would save 81 100000 annually.
Deducting four per cent. as the IN
tercst on the money used In building
Tie plant. there still remains net
saving TO 'he government ~ tl.0G1.-
24O. In the case Of the 10000 tons
piant which iti estimated can pro-
duce armor at $2g7 ton the net
saving IL s3.04S i62 Surely this IS.
On the face of it. an economy well
worth the consideration OF congress
+ committee. with expert assist
ance. has given the authority 20 get
at the ex2ct cost of constructing a
factory and Of making armor plate
u is believed the estimates for both
viii be reduced. Experience has
demonstrated the wisdom and econ
cmy Of manufacturing guns and
powder In government factories"
Today's report will Doe followed los
q further presentation of the results
of Secretary Daniels inquiry