The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-05-12

the government purchase of armor has
been scandal from start to finish.
The conduct of the armor ring in
dealing with the government aver
ages throughout at least so per cent
rotten.
There have been nine official esti-
mates as to the actual cost of the
manufacture of ton of armor plate.
The average estimate is $24717 per
ton. Yet since 1887 we have pur-
chased 217,379 tons of armor, paying
the armor ring an average of $4,000
per ton. or total of $95, ,656,2 |
believe | am we'll within the bounds
of conservatism when say that if
all this armor had been manutactur-
ed in a government plant. at least
$35, 100000 would have been saved to
the American taxpayers, and armOr is
only one of the things being pur-
chased by the army and navy under
similar conditions.
Secretary Daniels has asked con-
gress for an appropriation for a
government armor plate factory. but
thus far congress has refused him.
If the Aevernment builds an armor
plant and a paddock is placed on its
doors as soon as it is completed,
and it is never used, it will in the
opinion of Secretary Daniels, pay for
itself, simply by enabling him to OBJ
tain fair treatment from the armor
manufacturers.
Army and navy officers generally
are opposed to complete government
manufacture of munitions of war, talk
ing the position that it is the part
of wisdom for the government to
encourage private manufacturers to
operate plants so that they may be
available in time of war Experience
has shown, however. that instead of
patriotically coming to the relief of
the government in time of war, the
war traders take advantage of the
necessities of the government, which
is at their mercy, and boost their
prices. For instance, when war with
Spain was imminent the armor man
ufacturers practically issued an ulti-
matum to the government that they
would not manufacture a single piece
of armor plate unless the government
should agree to pay them 500 a ton
more than the price fixed by con
aress after an investigation as fair
price And it is also worthy of no
tice that their patriotism did not
prevent them from selling armor to
Russia for $249 a ton, while they
We're asking their own government
$6l6 a ton.
There appears to be no real com
petition between the armor manufac-
turers of the various countries. Once
in 1893. the American armor ring
holot llht COlllpCllllOll, W ltl
it sold armor to Russia for $249 while
charging the United States $6l6, and
for a time great CONSERVATION pre-
vailed in the ranks of the war trusts
of the various nations.
But during this period the armor
manufacturers of the world met in
Paris, and since there has been little
or no competition worthy of the name.
The armor manufacturers asked them.
selves why they should cut each
others throats and why it would not
be to their advantage to receive $500
or $500 a ton instead of 5000 or
$500.
In The naval hearings for 1914, page
621. the present secretary of the navy,
Josephus Daniels, used the following
language in referring to an advertise
ment for bids for armor plate for the
dreadnaught Pennsylvania.
When we came to the armor we
rejected all the bids, and were then
absolutely in a situation from which
it appeared there was no relief
Though you can not establish it in
black and white, there is no doubt
of an armor plate trust all over the
world. That is to say, the people
abroad who make armor plate will
not come here and submit bids. be-
cause they know if they do our man
ufacturers will go abroad and submit
bids They have divided the world.
like Gaul, into three parts"