Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-11-23
TO EXPOSE
MUNITIONS TRUST
GangressmaH Tafenner Announces
Program He is to Push at Open
Ing Of Congress.
LEADERS ARE TO BIZ CALLED
Men Behind the Nary League tn BE
Asked Ia Tell Their Holdings in
Big Concerns.

Washington, Nov G1--Cungressman
Clyde II. Tagennsr Of the Fourteenth
Illinois district, the originator OF the
policy of government manufacture Of
munitions Of war. yesterday gave out
his program to he inaugursted immed-
lately upon the converting Of congress
with an object 10 the attainment Of the
end toward which he has been for
years striving Mr Tavenuer's state
ment follows
As soon as congress convenes I
shall Introduce bills providing for gov
ernment manufacture of munitions,
armor, battieships, Submarines. tor
pedoes. afrships and war parapher-
MALTA of every character. II We are TO
appropriate large sums Of money for
the army and navy / want 10 be as
sured that we will get a dollars worth
OF preparedness for every dollar Of the
taxpayers money appropriated, and
government manufacture is the only
policy that will give US this assurance.
| shall also introduce q resolution pro-
viding for an investigation as to what
has become Of the money we have al
ready appropriated for preparedness.
''As the Navy league is unfriendly
to government manufacture of war
paraphernaIia, while at the same time
1 insisting that tt ~ wholly diss0ciated
from war trafficking Influences, ] shall
introduce g resolution TO investigate
the Navy league, specifically requiring
J. r. Morgan and certain other direc-
tors of the Navy league. past and pres
ent. TO take the responsibility of tes-
tifying, under oath, whether they own
or have ever owned. stock in war-traf-
fieking concerns or firms which have
drawn down the fat contracts from
previous army or navy appropriations
Il do not desire to infer. however
that all of the directors Of the NAVY
league are stockholders of war-traf-
ficking firms There are, for instance
such men as General John Temple
Graves, John Calian 0LaughIin. and
others on the board of directors of the
Navy league, whose disinterested pat
riotism is beyond question, and it is
certainly not my idea to have such men
required 10 testify The men connected
with the Navy league whom desire Ia
testify, under oath, as to whether they
now own or have ever owned stock in
war-traffieking concerns, are not the
y gentlemen in the front but at the
back, of the Navy league the men who
organized and recognized the Navy
league, whether they are directors or
not.
Where Has Money Gone!
Two hundred and forty million doll
lars, raised by taxing the American
people, have annually been expended
on the army and navy under the gen
erai assumption that in return for this
colossal expenditure the nation was
being reasonably prepared But it is
now asserted, even by men occupying
high and authoritative place IN public
life and in a position TO know VIVA
they are talking about. that our coun-
try is 'pitifully and hopelessiy UMPIRE
pared and that if war were to break
out today. it would be found that our
coast detenses have not sufficient
ammunition for an hours fight. Sure
~. 10 any thinking person, this state of
affairs must suggest an Indictment of
the policy of giving the bulk of army
and navy contracts 10 private NUM-
ton and shipbuilding concerns. IT we
are not prepared as we should be, it
Is not because the people have nos
paid in taxes the price OF adequate
preparation, but because too much Of
the money appropriated for prepared
ness has gone into the pockets OF the
stockholders OF the war traffieking
firms, some of which stockholders are
men occupying high positions in oftic-
ial life
Sat least a hint as TO what has be-