Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-03-12
ARSENAL'SFORCE
is NOT To Be CUT
SAYS GARRISON
Gun Carriage Work Will En-
gage Those Now Making
Small Arms.
S25o,oo0 IN EXTRA CASH
Still Hope, However, That Present
Arrangements Will Not Be
Disturbed.

Washington. March 12.-Although
the new secretary OF var NJ CARR
Eon, IS a ye:' busy NAL he granted
Congressman Tar'nncr fpr hal.
hCur.e interview IN ma ar- pertain TX
20 the Ro.a Island arseual
Mr. Tayeuuer asked the secretary 20
inve5tigste the wisdom OF the war
departments intention TO quit manu-
featuring small arms al Rock Island
Mr. TavcIuar took the viewpoint that
iuasmuCh as the small arms plant had
cost the government s. 900, 600 TO in
stall. and that small arms could be
manufactured cheaper az Rock Island
than a. Springfield. Mass he hoped
the department would continue TO man
uia"tUrc A. least enough small arms a.
RCcE Island 70 keep the small arms
plant going
Secretary Garrison replied that, hav-
Ing been in Office but a few days. he
knew little about the matter. but
would have the subject Investigated
and a report furnished M Tavenner
within a few days
STATUS OF SITUATION.
The status Of the small arms situa-
ton al this time is as follows: The
government now has 100000 small
arms OF the latest type on hand, which
would be sufficient 70 equip an army Of
1.OOO, 900 men. Therefore. the war de
partment has decided 10 reduce the
manufacture OF small arms Instead
OF manufacturing Sl,500,0o0 worth Of
small arms this year, as formerly. con
gress has authorized the expenditure
OF but 100000
Il is the intention OF the war de-
partment 10 manufacture all OF the
5000. 900 worth OF small arms at Spring
field, which IL the only product that
the shops there can turn out. Already
the force there has been reduced from
800 men to about 600 The war de
partment takes the position that mas
much as other kinds of war equip
ment can be manufactured at Rock Is
land, Il would not be fair to Spring
field to take everything away from the
shops there and nothing from Rock
Island The war department takes the
position that the difference in the cost
81 the manufacture az Rock Island and
Springfield is but few cents. but this
Is not conceded by the friends OF the
Rock Island arsenal. and this is one
OF the points Secretary Garrison has
promised TO investigate.
II would appear on the face OF things
that n no small arms are manufactur
cd az Rock Island after June 80. about
200 men would lose their places. but
this is not correct Congress will ap
propriate al the beginning Of the ex
ira session s25O.O0O extra money To-
the manufacture OF gun carriages a
Rock Island
co TO NEW WORK.
Many Of the men who have beel
working on small arms will be able {,
go over 20 the new work. although
some OF them will receive less pay. be
cause OF the fact they will be in a dii
ferent grade The heads OF the Wa
depar' meut also hope that work o
other character may be found 70
thOse who lose out through the reduC
ton Of the appropriation for smaI
arms The highest paid workers ORIG
inally came from Springfield. Mass
aud as many as possible will he trans
ferred back TO Springfield in the even
the government decides TO mRnufa,
ture no more small arms at Rock Ii
land after June 30 The department
figures % out that even II no more sma'
arms should be manufactured at Roc
Island after June 50. after the gu
carriage plant gets to going there wi
be az least 100 more men employe
~ Rock Island than were employe
there Or any time during the last Sc,
eral years
While 81 seems a certainty that