The daily sentinel., 1914-03-18
(By EDWARD KEATING,)
Congressman AT large from Col
oI.tdo

orido.)
Washington, ID. c., March IL
Are Uncle Sans army and navy Of
fieers wasting millions OF peoples
,money by paying exorbitant prices
for the munitions of war? Is there
an "inner circle in the war and
navy departments which distributes
juicy contracts to firms which
stand in" and incidently boosts its
snembers into the most desirable
berths in the army and navy?
Congressman Clyde II. Tayenner
pi Illinois answers the first question
with an emphatic yes and as to
the second-well, he gives you some
suggestive facts and permits you to
draw your own conclusions.
Tavenner is little fellow. stand
ing about five feet two Inches and
Weighing about 120 pounds, but he
carries us much nerve and intellect
% the square inch as any man in
congress. He is living testimonial
to the fact that ! am a mighty poor
Judge of genius in the rough. a few
years ago in those happy old days
when | was a care-free newspaper
nan with nothing TO do but take
daily shot at The Beast" in the
jungle OF Colorado-Tavenner wan
dered into my office and asked for a
job. | looked him over and decided
he would not do. So he went his
way and became n famous Washing
rton correspondent. Now he is in
congress and million readers re-
fuse to partake OF their morning ba-
. con and eggs until they have read
"Tavenners letter" in their favorite
paper.
Fighting the Ring.
Rock Island Is the principal city in
Tavenner's district, and the war de-
partment has a big arsenal there.
Tavenner discovered that the gov
ernment was manufacturing ammuni-
tlon in this arsenal for from 20 to
60 per cent below the price il was
paying contractors. He introduced
a bill providing for the enlargement
of the plant through the installation
OF the necessary machinery in two
large unoccupied buildings which had
been erected by Uncle Sam for an
other purpose but never used.
He thought his suggestion would
be received with loud plaudits by the
gentlemen who conduct the ordnance
bureau of the war department He
as the white haired boy who had
made 1t possible for these faithful
servitors to show what they could do
! in the way of keeping dollars in I'm
Gle Sans pocket
But he had not counted on the pull
OF the ammunition ring.
He told the story simply but con-
vincingly to the house while we We're
discussing the army appropriation
hlll, and 1t will be found in the con-
gressional record of March 4, 1918.
After he introduced his bill, he
wrote Col. Burr. the commandant of
the Rock Island arsenal for data
showing the cost of government work
and received an enthusiastic reply
assuring him that the information
was being prepared and that it
would more than sustain every claim
that he had made. Then there was
, q long period Of silence. At the end
of two months Burr wrote that he
had been compelled to submit the
. data to General Crozier, chief OF Ord
nance. When Crozier was approached
he said he had given the information
to the appropriations committee of
the house, but the files of the ap-
propriations committee failed to re-
veal it and that was followed by more
backing and filling" Up to date
the ordnance bureau has failed to
supply the facts desired.
Gets First Blood.
Tavenner pounded away until he
induced the military affairs commit
tee to adopt an amendment turning
practically all OF the work over to
the government arsenal. He won
far-reaching victory. but he is by no
means satisfied, and his speech in
the house is merely the opening gun
In campaign for bigger game.