The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1915-05-21
WIDE WAR TRUST
BY CONGRESSMAN CLYDE H.
TAVENNER


cover all the transactions deserving
publicity concerning armor. Let 1t be
sufficient in passing to say that the
government purchase of armor has
been a scandal from start to finish.
The conduct of the armor ring in deal
ing with the government averages
throughout at least so per cent rotten.
There have been nine official estim-
ates as to the actual cost of the manu-
facture of a ton of armor plate. The
average estimate is $247.17 per ton.
Yet since 1887 we have purchased
217,379 tons of armor, paying the
armor ring an average of $4,000 per
ton, or total of $95,656,240. I be-
lieve l am we'll within the bounds of
conservatism when I say that If all
this armor had been manufactured In
a government plant at. least $35,0OO,-
900 would have been saved to the Am
erican taxpayers, and armor is only
one of the things being purchased by
the army and navy under similar con-
ditions.
Secretary Daniels has asked con-
gress for an appropriation for gov
ernment armor-plate factory, but thus
far congress has refused him.
If the government builds an armor
plant and 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 obtain fair
treatment from the armor manufac-
turers.
Army and navy officers generally
are opposed to complete government
manufacture of munitions of war, TAX
ing the position that it is the part Of
wisdom for the government to encour-
age private manufacturers to operate
plants so that they may be available
in time of war. Experience has
shown, however, that instead of pat
riotically coming to the relief of the
government in time of war, the war
traders take advantage of the neces-
stiles of the government, which is at
their mercy, and boost their prices
For instance, when war with Spain
was imminent the armor manufactur
ers practically issued an ultimatum
to the government that they would not
manufacture a single piece of armor
plate unless the government should
agree to pay them 800 ton more
than the price fixed by congress after
an investigation as fair price. And
it is also worthy of notice that their
patriotism did not prevent them from
selling armor to Russia for $249
ton, while they were asking their own
government $616 ton.
ARMoR PLATE PATRIOTISM is
WORLD WIDE
There appears to be no real compe-
tition between the armor manufac
turers of the various countries. Once,
in 1898, the American armor ring
made noise like competition, when
it sold armor to Russia for $249, while
charging the United States $616, and
for a time great CONSERVATION prevail
ed 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 then there has been
little or no competition worthy of the
name. The armor manufacturers ask
ed themselves 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
5000.
In the naval hearing 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 manu-
facturers will go abroad and submit
bids. They have divided the world,
like Gaul into three parts"