Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1915-07-01
WASHINGTON. B. q. Julv

making it's own battleahips, tor
4 pedo boats, submarines, torpe-
does, projectiles, armor plate,
powder and all war supplies, is
the ideal of Secretary Of the Ma
w Daniels.
Today he outlined to me his
hopes of a naval utopia. He be-
( heves it is not only possible but
probable that with proper fnan-
cial assistance andapprovalfrom
4 Congress, realizationof his plans
may be reached before the end of
/ the present administration.
"Of course we never expect to
manufacture all of our own ma
terials for the navy; we will
probably always buy a certain
amount of supplies needed, but
lit is my hope that the navy will
be equipped to make in part all
of the supplies it uses" Secreta-
Try Daniels stated.
"By manufacturing our own
supplies we are not only large
/ ly independent Of private manu-
features, avoid being "held up"
! in prices, but also destroy the in
centiye Of privatemanufacturing
interests to bring pressure upon
Congress for large appropria-
/ tiOnS i'm tho intnrnst thenriVatp
profits"
/ 1t is Secretary Daniels idea
if the navy is equipped to make
it's own supplies, private manu-
facturers will not, when Con-
gress comes to appropriating
money for them, feel that as a
matter Of course the contracts
will be left to them. It would
then be uncertain whether the
money would be spent in govern
ment navy yards or private man
ufacturing plants. The hound
ing" ofCongress for large appro-
priations would then be largely
avoided.
Secretary Daniels pointed out
thatthe effects Of such an admin
istrative plan we're already seen.
Before the Government be-
gan to manufacture it's own pow
der we paid as high as eighty
cents q pound to private manu-
facturers," he said. "The price
was brought down to fifty six
cents. This was largely because
the navy found out just exactly
what it cost to make powder. We
/ then knew that was a proper
4 price to pay, with proper profit
to the manufacturer
"By making all Of our own
supplies we will in the same way
i be able to ascertain Just what
i they cost-and Just what profit
I private manufacturers are max
ling on supplies sold to the navy"
Secretary Daniels said his
/ plans did not embrace q govern
|ment monopoly" in making navy
supplies, similar TO those of for
eign nations. He merely propo-
4 SEES that the navy makes part of
each and every article important
Ito its sustenance.
"Soon we shall have sufficient
capacity in our own powder
plants" he said, ito supply all
the ships and keep up reserve
supplies-on the present footing
of the navy, of course"
Ia case of war, Daniels admits
| it would be necessary for the ma
Wy to purchase a great part OF
its powder and projectiles, as
well as many ships to become
naval auxiliaries. The capacity
of the powder plant at Indian
Head, Nd, on the Potomac river
a few miles below Washington,
will be doubled within a chort
time, according to the navy's
head. The torpedo projectile'
plant at Newport, R. l. will also
be doubled in output capacity,
he stated Incidentally he is
keepingin touch with both plants
by personal visits.
In earring out his plan for a
"self supporting" navy in regard
to powder and projectiles. the
Secretary has more ambitious
plans for the government in con-
structing its own dreadnoughts.
He hopes to build one of the new
dreadnoughts Congress may au-
thorize next winter at the League
Navy Yard at Philadelphia. The
Brooklyn Navy Yard has alrea-
dy qualified in this respect in the
recent construction of the battle