Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-12-20

the first issue / find the statement that
this periodical Is the official Journal
OF the Navy league On page 30 OF
the issue OF February. 1904, / find
list Of - men who are given as the
founders Of the Navy league Are
there any war tralflckers among
thens We shall see.
Il note in the list Of founders the
name 81 the Midvale Steel company
Somewhere We have heard that name
before. Since 1903 the government
has purchased 48.33e tons OF armor
from the Midvaie company, paying
S4z1 ton or a total Of s2g,353. 29S.
And If the Nary leagues proposed
$500 100000 bond issue for battleships,
etc. goes through, Midyaie will draw
down some more millions.
SehwaEs as Member.
I'm the list of founders I also note
the name OF Charles NJ. schwabi He
is president Of the Bethlehem Steel
corporation. The Bethlehem company
| has obtained from the government con-
tracts for 81 .947 tons Of armor at
price Of s445 q ton, or orders aggre-
eating s42,321,23
I'm the list of founders also note
the name OF J. r. Morgan The late
/ ]. ?, Morgan was the organizer and
a director Of the United States Steel
corporation, and the present J. P. Nor
! gan. who is also an active director of
the Navy league, is q director Of Unit
, ed States Steel.
THE United States Steel corpora
ton, according TO Moody's Manual.
! owns or controls the Carnegie Steel
| company, which has obtained armor
contracts amounting TO s32.954,377
| These three firms, Midvale, Bethie-
hem and Carnegie, have an absolute
monopoly on armor plate In this coun-
try. They constitute the armor trust
/ They have drawn down contracts for
the single item of armor plate aggre-
| eating $102,504 ,292 We have paid
them an average price OF S43g g ton
for this armor, when 1t could have
been manufactured In a government
armor plate factory, If we had had
one, at cost Of $2SS a ton. which
/ would have resulted in a saving to
the American taxpayer of $4,000, 900
at the most conservative estimate.
Verify, the investment of the ar
NOR ring in the Navy league has been
d profitable one. And If the Navy
leagues p@oposed $50O,000,000 bond is
sue for battleships goes through con-
gress the armor crowd will realize
most handsomely.
Now a few words Of Identification
as to Colonel Robert NJ. Thompson,
who is now president Of the Navy
league. He is chairman Of the board
of directors of the international Nick
| 81 company, which interlocks with the
United States Steel corporation
| through Edmund C. Converse. who is
/ a director Of the Steel corporation and
the International Nickel company,
THE International Nickel company
also fnterlocks directly with the
! United States navy department through
w. H. Brownson, who is & director OF
International Nickel and on the pay
roll Of the navy department at the
| full pay of a retired rear admiral
Nickel and armor plate interiocks
most beautifully, too. The report Of
the committee that investigated the
question Of q government armor plate
factory. published on page 1858 Of the
Congressional Record, last session
states, under the caption, Metal pei
ton of armor.' that of every S5,27+
worth of raw metal used In armol
plate. $3.50 represents the value O
nickel scrap and $1,466 represents the
value OF metallic nickel,
The interests back Of the Nav!
league are the same interests that arr
back of the great Wall street banks
the great railroads Of the country. thu
great insurance companies. the grea
steamship lines, express companies
telegraph companies and big bushes
in general.
"These interests have exploited tn
American people in every conceivab1
! way, and now they propose TO exploi
the peoples government. and to DO
in the name OF patriotism"