Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-03-13
(sEcoNp INsTALLmENT)


General Crozier, the chief of ord
nance. reluctantly admitted before th'
committee on military affairs that. or
the average. be could save 81 per cent
by manufacturing held-artillery am
munition in the arsenals.
Mr. Mcclellan. More than that
Mr. Tavenner. Yes; il ranges all the
way from 20 per cent Ia so per cent
These illustrations I have given here
are not exceptions picked out just 10
make a good case. but they are the
general rule
Mr.. Helm. Mr.. Chairman, will the
gentleman yield?
Mr. Tayeuner. Yes
Mr. Helm The gentleman does not
mean to say that any officers Of the
army or oricers Of the navy have been
guilty OF any such improperly as ne
is charging here
Mr.. Tavenner. I mean 10 say tnat
these officers have been guilty and are
now guilty OF allowing private manu-
Iacturers TO outrageously Overcharge
the government. I nave any amount
OF figures here 10 sustain this state
ment. on any particular feature OF the
proposition the gentleman may de-
sire to know about
Mr.. Helm Let me see IL I thorough
" understand the gentleman These
are officers OF the army that are doing
this?
Mr.. Tavenner- Yes.
Mr.. Helm In view of the state
ments made here by certain gentlemen
on the floor OF the house. II must seem
astonishing TO them that an officer of
the army could possibly have done
anything along the line the gentleman
saws they have done. Nevertheless.
] am not astonished at the information
you have given the house on this sub
ject-
Mr. Tavenner- Easy-going. gener-
Gus. old Uncle Sam has been passing
out his hundreds OF millions every
year for the army and navy. and the
army and navy officers have so used
the money that for each dollar ex-
pended the country has received little
more than 80 cents worth of war
materials.
Congress has been apprOpriating
800. OOO. 900 annually for the army
alone. or to be exact. S1.OO7. 41O.2T0 in
the last 10 years. and then has been
practically a free rein in the expendi-
ture of these colossal sums.
And congress has been making a
mistake.
For instance. If 100000 IS appro-
priated for field artillery ammunition.
the chief of ordnance is left practically
free 10 purchase the ammunition from
outside manufacturers or to manufac-
ture il in the government arsenals.
The same applies to the navy
Under this practice. which gives
few officers altogether too much free
dom in the handling of so many mil
lions of the peoples funds. few IA
yored contractors have been able to
obtain the great bulk of the fat gov
eminent contracts.
For instance. three concerns have
obtained from the army and navy more
than 500. OOO.OOO worth OF contracts
in Il years These three concerns
have conspired TO prevent competitive
bidding between them. and the army
and navy officers have only winked at
this teamwork on the part OF the
armor and ammunition trusts.
Secretary OF the Navy JOsephus Dan
iels deserves the support OF the nation
in the courageous and effective fight
he is making TO rescue the navy de-
partment from the tender mercies OF 4
the armor ring. For years the navy Z
has been dominated by the armor ring. /
Having a monopoly on the manufac- I
1ure Of armor plate in this country. the I
arInor ring has been able TO demand 4
and obtain extortiOnate prices for ar