Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-03-14

labor. and William c. Redfeid. score.
tary OF commerce.
/ General Crozier declares he is de.
termined to extend scientifiec manage
ment in the arsenals regardless of this
report The secretary OF war. how.
ever, will not permit him TO do so.
General Crozier's persistent and
scientific efforts TO install the TAYLOR
system in the arsenals is almost as
valuable to the ammunition ring and
other manufacturers as Is his policy of
giving ammunition contracts to out.
side manufacturers. The great manu.
tacturers want the Taylor system in
stalled in the government arsenals. so
that when their employees protest
against the installation of the system
they VIII be in the strategic position
OF being able to reply that the system
must be humane or the United States
government would not have placed its
official Endorsement upon 4 by Install
ing II in the government arsenals.
Since my election ! have endeavored
to cooperate in every way possible
with the secretary OF the navy in his
campaign TO obtain authorization by
( congress for a government armor
plant, which believe will be provided
for next year. After the necessary
appropriation is obtained I intend to
urge upon congress the ACCESSIBILITY of
locating this plant at Rock Island.
but heartily approve the project re-
CARELESS of whether il is ultimately
located at Rock Island or some other
point
it is estimated that an armor plant
would cost approximately 100000,
and that it would pay for itself in
three years at the outside. The naval
program for the coming year provides
for two battleships. at cost of
S14,O00,O00 each. Personally / believe
it would be wiser to provide for one
less battleship and the armor plate.
This program would mean that the
government would save 100000 and
at the same time obtain a plant that
would effect great money saving.
which is money making. 1t would also
be a long step toward the taking of
profit out of war. and it would mean
that the men who actually make the
armor plate would receive better
wages and would work under better
labor conditions than they do now
at is evident" says Secretary Dan
iels, in his annual report. that with
out an armor plant of its own the gov
eminent in time of war or impending
war would be entirely at the mercy of
three manufacturers, and obliged to
pay practically whatever price they
ask"
Secretary Daniels estimates that he
could save s1,061 1850 per annum on
a 10,000-ton-a-year armor plant, after
deducting four per cent as interest on
the money used in the erection and in
stallation of plant, and s3,04S,462 a
year on the basis of 20,000-ton-a-year
plant.
Secretary Daniels concludes with
the following significant statement:
81 do not see how it is possible for
congress to justify to the people re-
fusaI to erect a government plant, nor
how it can answer the charge that will
invariably be brought up-that the
same mysterious providence which
saved this profitable business to the
steel companies three times in the
past, even after money for govern
ment plant had actually been appro-
priated, is not still at work EXERCISING
it's beneicent protection over these
lusty specimens of infant industries,
who are now under investigation as
violators of the antitrust law"
II might be well TO state at this
point what and who the "armor ring"
is. 1t does not come under the head
of invisible government, as IL is pos
sibIe to definitely locate it and place
our finger upon IL.
BY the term "armor ring" is meant
these three concerns; Bethlehem
Steel CO.. Carnegie Steel CO., and the
Midvale Steel co. So far, these three
concerns have drawn down over
ST., OOO. 900 worth OF contracts from
the navy department alone. divided as
follows: Bethlehem. s34 ,215.112-5S; |
Carnegie. S3O,S44. 1886; Midvale, |
sI2,O44.217.41.
Advertising for bids for armor plate |
for battIeship No. 80, now in course |
of construction, Secretary Daniels
was amazed to find that each concern |
had put in practically the same bid. |
The secretary wrote each OF the bid
ders a letter, asking how It came their
bids we're so nearly identical. Two OF
-. ropffad that tho Il