The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1915-08-16
Daniels Has Done
Much for the Navy.

Josephus Daniels during the two
years be has occupied the important
post Of secretary Of the navy, has
done much for that branch Of the
service, and had congress backed him
in carrying through some Of the re-
forms he advocated, the navy today
would have been on better footing
while there would have been no pos
sibflity of the public treasury being
looted by manufacturers, shipbuilding
and supply men
For years this class of patriot has
been practically free to help himself
from the public crib, and much of
the hue and cry that has been raised
against the secretary Of the navy has
emanated from this source. Certain
papers, and they are not all confined
to the northern states, and at least
one exists in the state Of Florida,
have taken up the fight against the
secretary of the navy, not because ne
Is not an efficient secretary, but sim
ply because he refuses to follow in
the footsteps Of his predecessors and
permit the private manufacturers to
continue looting the government. Sec
rotary Daniels has saved the govern
ment about $1,000 900 in the purchase
Of armor plate and other equipment,
but this is hardly drop in the bucket
to what ne could have saved had con-
gress followed his recommendations
and permitted the manufacture Of
arnaor plate and other equipment in
government plants.
In his first annual report Secretary
Daniels asked for an appropriation
for an armor plate factory. In tax
ing this step he gave the following
good reasons why such plant should
be established:
81 desire TO recommend the passage
at the earliest moment of sufficient
appropriation to begin the construc-
tion Of a government amor plant to
relieve q situation which in my esti-
nation, is lntolerable and at total
variance with the principle Of econ
omy In spending government money
--.... Only three firms in this coun-
try can manufacture armor plate, and
these firms have put in bids for ar
NOR plate seldom varying, over a few
dollars, and in many instances being
identical to cent. Asked for rea-
sons as to the uniformity of these
bids, two Of the firms replied frank,
~ that as the contract would be di-
vided amongst them anyway, the onl.
effect Of competitive bids would be t,
reduce the profits made by all of thu
three firms.
"By manufacturing armor plate il
its own plant the government will b
able to keep for its own use any i'm
provements in the manufacture o
composition of its armor that may b
developed. The last word has no
been said in armor, and past histor
shows that great improvements i
the manufacture and design of armo
plate have been made. The create
part of these improvements were sus
gested by actual experience gained b
naval officers. Under our present syl
tenn of obtaining our armor plat
from private companies such in
provements become the property I
all the world and can be obtaine
by anybody who cares to buy Their
Even now the improvements in armt
and the designs worked out by Il
navy have been embodied In the wa
ship of another nation recently fl
ished by the Bethlehem Steel Co., al
put into commission. This is not {
argument lightly to be disregard,
in favor of q government arm,
plant, nor has it been overlooked, f
instance, by Japan, which has erect
its own armor-making plant and 50
rounded it with such secrecy tn
none of the other nations are al
to tell whether or not at this mi
ute the Japanese arnor may not
superior to any other in existence.
addition to Japan, the French COVER