Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-07-03
The World Wide War Trust
By Congressman Clyde H. Tavenner.

r
The history of the transactions be.
tween the United States government
and the DUPONT Powder trust average
with the history of the dealing between
the government and the armor makers
The aggregate of the sums paid the
Du Pont trust in excessive and cxtor.
tionate profits no doubt runs into the
tens of millions.
In the period between 1905 and 1913
alone the government purchased 29,.
565,5l2 pounds of powder from this
trust, paying on an average of so cents
pound for 3,207712 pounds of 80.
ealiber powder and an average of G5
cents a pound for 20,565,5l2 pounds OF
army and navy smokeess powder, or a
total of $2l $685.
The government is now manufac-
turing powder for 80 cents pound,
all overhead charges included, and the
larger the quantity il manufacturers
the lower the cost, II the government
had manufactured all Of the powder il
purchased between 1903 and 1913. IL
would have cost $ll, $3.50, ,754 instead of
$2l ,00S,25O, or have resulted in a saw.
ing of $l0,l67,4 ,496, enough to build q
first-class battleship.
The Du Points boast they have been
selling the government its powder since
. the civil war II a saving Of $40 1877.
4O6 could have been effected hy com.
plete government manufacture in eight
years, how much do you imagine could
have been saved by government man.
ufaeture in the half century between
the civil war and the present dayl
When the supreme court entered its
decree ordering the dissolution Of the
Du Pont trust, Pierre s, Du Punt, act.
ing president, wrote the secretary Of
war, imploring him to use the influence
Of the war department with the attor.
ney general IS office to prevent the
separation Of those units Of the trust
manufacturing powder for the govern.
| ment; or in other words, 20 arrange il
so that the Du Points wOnld continue
TO have n monopoly on the sale Of
smokcless powder to the government
1.-THE plan as now proposed, wrote
acting president Du Pont in this most
remarkable letter which was dated
November 10, 1911 eontemplates a
complete dissolution OF our military
smokeless powder department and It's
reorganization into two or more sepa.
rate and distinct corporate units, each
TO be operated independent of the other
and in competition with each other,
with all that this imples.....
We firmly believe that II the attor.
ney general could be informed through
your department Or otherwise Of the
real facts surrounding the smokeless
powder industry and it's relations 10
the United States government he might
feel inclined to permit the situation 10
remain as at present "
What a sublime confidence the head
Of the Du Pont trust must have had in
the secretary Of war 20 nuke such O
request, and that IN writingi
The secretary Of war referred this
letter 20 Gen. Crozier, who made Ger.
tain Endorsements upon II and returned
IL 20 the secretary
Under existing conditions" report
ed Gen. Crozier In part, ~ consider
NhhN Nhf department ~ uolNE very WtUt
The Du Pont Co. has considerable
reserve capacity available for wars
needs, while a new company could not
be expected 90 bring into existence and
maintain, with expense, plant IN excess
Of that employed In time Of peace, ....
Established confidence IL worth some.
thing. The department does not find
itself pressed by any necessity Tor
change in the present situation
The end Of the matter was that the
supreme court LEFT the military
plants" of the Du pont Co. In one
group No fhf NJ the government IL
concerned, the Do pont trust remains
o trust.
The attitude of Gen. Crozier was q
service worth large sums to the powder
trust, and the Du Points are realizing
on il 20 this day, because the trust il
still without competition in'he sale
Of amokeless powder TO the govern.
ment.