The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-10-22
DANIELS URGES
 |. s. TO OWN
 MUNITION SHOPS

Washington, Oct. 22.-The an- nouncement of Secretary Daniels in speech at Raleigh, N. C., yesterday that he will ask ongress this year to provide for the establishment of a government owned armor plate plant and a government owned projecti1e factory was received with much inter est in naval circles here today.
 MT. Daniels had previously intinat- ed that he would resume his efforts of the last two years to have Congress provide for a government owned armor plant. It was not known, how ever, that he contemplated asking also for a government owned prOjec- tile factory. This latter announce ment gave rise to the suggestion that ed with the proposed armor plant so as to make only a single establish nent.
 The proposal of a government ar nor plant is not new, it having been ksevera1 times investigated by Congress and departmental committees. Last year a committee consisting of Chair
 man Tfllman of the Senate Naval ICommittee, Chairman Padgett of the House Naval Committee and Rear Admiral Joseph Strauss, chief of the bureau of ordnance of the Navy De- partment, made an investigation. The committee was not entirely in favor of the project, but it's attitude was more in support of the plan than against it. It was estimated that to create the plant and put it into opera ion would cost about $6,00o,0o0. Plan Opposed in Congress
 The plan has met with much op- position in Congress- chiefly on ac- count of the large cost. It has been pointed out that the amount of armor which would be required by the Gov ernment would not be large enough to keep the plant in operation all the time and that it would thus be run at great loss. Supporters of the plan, however, point to the proposal for a projectile factory the answer to this latter criticism.
 While armor plate manufacture and big gun projectile making are not the same, plants that produce the one of ten make the other also. Friends of the plan call attention to the fact also that the navy henceforth will prob ably need more arrnor in the next few years than in recent years on ac- count of Ehe proposed increase in ship construction, while large increases of reserve ammunition are to be asked for this year.
 Secretary Danie1s's announcement was madeis in speech at the State fair at Raleigh. sounding the key note of the Administrators prepar- edness policy. MT. Daniels said he would ask Congress to appropriate for the two new projects this year. He also urged passage of the Govern ment ship purchase bill, to provide naval auxiliary ships and the use and extension of government navy yards to manufacture war munitions He said:
 ,s'If my recommendatjo ons are ap- proved the government will be free to make a large part of its own mun1- tions if private concerns charge excess sive prices We will erect a large fac zI@s <,1, 1lf in T-- nor piercing shells as we'll as smaller projecti1es.
 Says Time Has Arrived.
 There has been no competition in armor plate, and recently two of the three plants came under a single own ership- The time has come for the navy to build a factory of it's own. which should have been erected in 1907, when the money was available. It has been ascertained by a special commission that the navy with a, mod ern plant can manufacture armor plate for from S23O to $260. as against the non competitive prices of $425 to $486 charged under the last con tract
 MT Daniels said he does not advo- cate a government monopoly in mak- ing war munitions. but desires the government to be equipped to furnish adequate supplies and also to hold down prices of private contractors.
 That policy he said, would pre- vent effective agitation for war con- ducted by those who make profit by | the manufacturing of war supplies.
 s"It has been suspected in some l countries that makers of armor plate, | powder, guns and fighting craft, have I promoted steadily increasing equip | ment for giant navies and large arm ies for theirA personal enrichment The effective way to, prevent so bane- full influence is for Congress to give the Department authority to manu- facture it's own implements of war"
 KITR10p A n1KIN