The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1915-12-17
SERVICE
OR PRIVATE
CRAFT IS
ISSUE!

Special Correspondence
WASHINGTON. Dec. ia.-puB.
Lie SERVICE OR PRIVATE
GRAFrf
That 10 the question which has
come 20 the front In connection
With the Administrators prepared
ness program.
Are the millions TO be spent
really fer defense or are they 90 be
distributed as enormous profits 20
the steel trust. the powder trust.
the bodybuilding trust. and the 9th.
er AMERICAN kRuPpsr
Shall the government spend the
money and get a dollars worth Of
preparedness for every dollar spent.
or shall the government lie, the
PRIVATE CORPORATION TAKE
FROM 20 TO 90 PER CENT IN
PRIVATE PROFITS for doing ~
This 10 the very real and prse.
teal question confronting con.
gress,
A group OF determined congress.
men will force the Issue during the
whole time the preparedness pro-
gram-both army and navy--is on
the floor OF congress
These men will not oppose pre-
paredness-bnt they will oppose
private-profit.preparedness.
The question will be emphasized.
too. by the attitude OF Secretary OF
Navy Daniels. who charges openly
that the shipbuiiders arc trust:
that their bids are coliunivo. and
that their profits are eytortionAtc.
The question will DO forced from
another angle BY the charges and
counter charges between the navy
league and Representative Clyde
Tavenner. the league threatening
libel suits and Tavenner threaten.
Ing congressional inquiry TO de
ttermlnc whether the league n sup.
ported by men who profit by pri.
vats munitions manufacture.
a hint az 10 what has IN the past
become Of the staggering sums APP
propriated for preparedness 10 10 be
found In the fact that four firms
have received since 1897 orders az
areaatlne $4,000 600. and have
/ been paid from 20 TO 90 per cent
mere than tho same could have
been manufactures for In govern
rners arserals and navy yards
II n possible 10 obtain some def
mite and specific Information as TO
the economy OF government manu-
1 facturc.
In the item OF Rrmor plate. FOR
I instance. ten official estimates as
to the actual cost OF ton OF armor
plate give an average estimate OF
s.as6t ton.
Since 1857. however. tho navy
department has purchased 2iT.97s
tons OF armor. paying the armor
ring an average OF $1,000 a ton. or
total OF So. $500.
II all this armor had been manu-
featured IN government plants. Mt
LEAST SCI. OO0, 900 WOULD HAVE
BEEN SAVED TO THE TANPAf.
ERS.
other items of preparedness
show the same discrepanNes. The
var department. In 1918. for In
stance. purchased 1000 s.T'inch
shrapnei from private manufac'
,urers. IT PAID $3.50 FOR EACH
SHELL. Al the same time the
exact article was being manufae-
tured In the government plant at
PHILADELPHIA AT A COST OF Si5.t5.
For a 3.s.inch shrapnel. the de-
partment paid $3.50; the govern
ment cost OF the identical article Is
1874.
The same f. true in government
purchase OF powder
The government has bought
about SIS. 00O.0 600 worth OF powder
from the powder trust since 1900.
having all the way from 80 cents
up to so cents pound for II. The
government plant ut Indian Head
| IN manufacturing the Identical
powder today at % cents a pound.
and the faster the plant capacity
IN increased the lower the cost VIII
be.
Secretary Of the Navy Dan
tsIs has stated officially In hls
annual reports that the navy
department can manufacture
every single item from paint
TO superdreadnaughts cheaper
than the same articles can be
purchased from private manu-
facturers.
All these facts are going TO oe
pointed out with great emphasia on
the floor Of congress.
A rich lobby is 70 be on
hand for the American Krupps.
That rich lobby is to be
assisted by another rich lobby
of social influence.
It's not going to be hard
for the lobby Of privilege to
make congress vote their way
unless
The American public wakes
up right now and tells con-
gress that
THIS NATION, WILL
NOT STAND FOR ANY
BODY TO PROFIT IN
COLD AND SILVER FROM