Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-03-12
E,ssT INsTALLMENT.

tho effect there had recently been
times when there was not sufhcieh'
ammunition to permit the firing OF the
defense guns on the Pacific coast Tor
a period OF 80 minutes.
Still another article stated that
should there be war, two years Woulo
he required to obtain SUFFICIENT ainniu-
milton to place the army on a war
footing.
Both these statements were Daseo
on testimony given before senate
committee by 'Brigadier General VIII
liam Crozier, chief of ordnance Oh Ihe
army.
lust think OF 1t, Although congress
has been appropriating $loO,ooo'oou
annually TO maintain the army IN
state at least approaching prepared
ness for war. there is not sufhcient
ammunition on the Pacific coast at
times to last 80 minutes.
desire to submit to the American
people what I believe to be the reason
for this state of affairs. The reason:
in my opinion, is that General Crozler
and other army and navy ofncers nave
for years been permitting a ring ol
eastern manufacturers to outrageous
ly overcharge the government Tor It's
munitions of war.
desire to ask General Crozier why
he has been paying the ammunltloh
ring s3.O6 for a 3-inch finished shrap-
mel case when he can manufacture
and is manufacturing the Identical ar
ticle in the government arsenals for
sJ.75? would like to know why he
has been paying the ammunition ring
$3.50 for a S.S-inch common shrapnei
when he can manufacture and is man
ufacturing the identical article in the
arsenaIs for 1874? Seventeen dollars
and fifty cents is more than twice
1894 The government could manu-
facture two shrapnel for the price
it is paying the private manufacturers
for one and have s1.62 left over on
each transaction. 1t is tie punhc
funds that arc being spent here. and
the people have right to have these
questions aGsw cred.
The illustrations just cited are
merely average samples of the man
ner in which the army and navy Cffi-
GERS have been permitting U':cle sam
! TO be overcharged in the purchase OF
military supplies. These officers do
not seem to have any regard for
| money-at least for the people s
money.
| A contract for $l,900.064 worth of
ammunition was given the F'rankford
arsenal at Philadelphia, and the gov
eminent saved S979,00O. or approx
/ mately s1,OOO,0O0 on S2,000,00O or
der
The program of the war department
calls for S2O,O0O.OO0 worth of field ar
tillery ammunition and S11,O0O,OOO
worth of field artillery and carriages
! and other equipment.
Were a business man in Uncle
Sans place would he give the bulk
of this s31. Zoo, 900 order to the ammu
milton ring or would he enlarge his
own plants and save from 20 to sc
per cent on that portion of the order
he would thus be able to take care OF
himself? Is not saving to the people
of 80 per cent on contracts running
into millions annually worth the saw
ing?
! In less than Il years three firms
comprising the ammunition ring and
the armor ring have drawn down In
excess of S100,0O0.000 worth of far
government contracts from the army
and navy. and if the government had
/ manufactured all these supplies in the
arsenals and navy yards $35,000,6 600
at the very least estimate, would have
| been saved to the people.
To enlarge the government arsenal
at Rock Island, ILL.,, so that it may
manufacture a large portion of the
army supplies for which the govern
ment is now being grossly overcharg
ed by the ammunition ring, would not
require the expenditure of penny for
ground, buildings or water power.
| do not believe the United States
| government sufficiently appreciates
what prize it has in the Rock Island
military tract, which is adjacent to
! the enterprising and thriving cities
of Rock Island, Moline and Daven
port, and East Moline, having q com
! bined population in excess of 100 900
and in the very heart of one of the
most promising manufacturing cen
tiers in the middle west The tract Gov
ers 500 acres. of an island in the Mis-
| sissippi, with a double row of great
stone buildings and elegant drives
and every acre natural park. with
beautiful shade trees in profusion
everywhere.
| firmly believe that this piece OF
government property offers the best
site that can be found for the propos
ed S1OOO,000 armor plate factory, and
nave introduced resolution, H. Res
3O6, requiring the secretary of the
navy to carefully consider the ad
Vantaees of Rock Island. which will be
enumerated more fully later on in
these remarks, before determining
upon any other site for the armor fac
tory. In the meantime every member
OF congress is invited TO stop off al
Rock Island and see for himself what
magnificent and advantageous site
4 Uncle Sam has for great central
military manufacturing plant without
having to go to the expense of pur.
III