New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-17
Agent Charges Munitions
Orders Go to Favored
Corporations.
FINDS MANY IDLE
FACTORIES IN u. S.
Buyer for Big English House
May Appeal to Parliament
for Open Markets.

United States three times the quantity
n var munitions which she is now get
ting. and thereby endanger TO a less
degree the lives of Tommies IN the
trenches, if she did her purchasing IN
dependent of J. P. Morgan & Co., ac-
cording to Percy G. Donald, who is buy
ing materials in this country Tor
large English syndicate.
Mr.. Donald arrived here Monday on
the St. Paul. He has travelled extern
sively throughout America on several
previous occasions in the interest OF
his firm, and is vouched for by the
National Association of Manufacturers
as being prominently qualihed 10
sneak on the comparative ability OF me
I,O countries 20 produce MUNITIONS
He is making his headquarters at the
associations Offices, 50 Churcn street.
where he gave out an interview 80
terday severely crltlclsing the ptI'ISu I
government for retaining the ols""
company to purchase munitions
Munitions Plenty Here.
He declared that when he returns 10
ENGLAND he will be able TO refute POSl-
tively statements issued from RAJ ia
ment that certain munitions cannot De
obtained in the United states. lie man
tains they are TO be had easily Il not
gan & Co. would place orders WIN
e go con,nonies than those in which
they have stock. -, .,,
nan, did well 10 retain Morgan Co.
Cor financial purposes, but that other
more efficient means should be devised
FOR buvinq munitions. His own lnves-
LEGATIONS. he said, had proved 70 MIN
that countless factories were idle or
working short shifts which could easily
be turned to filling orders for the Al
lies if they could get the business; tnat
MANY manufacturers had told MIN TINS
would be the case If the Morgan hrm
did not discriminate against them.
"Englishmen have been crltlclslng
Parliament because sufficient munitions
:or the army are not forthcoming
said Mr.. Donald, land Parliament has
ALWAYS satisfied them with GLIB polit-
zeal soothing syrup in explanation; IL
is difficult to get something through an
Englishman's head, even with PICK
rye sometimes, but now they reahze
that friends at the front are endan-
gered through lack of material.
"Thev have been told that sufficient
munitions cannot be got from the
l'rited States. This statement mean
10 refute when | return and tell me
reasons why. This is because j. T.
Norcan & Co. very naturally have been
purchasing supplies with an intent
oriv 70 increase dividends on stock OF
industrials with which they are lden-
titled. -,
Many Plants Idle.
"The United States Steel Corpora
ton is working at 80 per cent capac-
.ty, while many others are ldIe Iot
rant of orders. You Will ma greaC
advance in stock valuation OF Morgan
concerns during the last SIX months
while in many others there ma 9ee'l
depreciation. 1t is a shame Tor these
ire plants to be lying idle when they
could be making food for warfare
Morgan & Co. are essentially imam
cicrs. they are not buyers, and TINS IS
lob for buyers only. 1t should De
taken out of the hands OF politicians
and placed in those OF business men
lust because a man has SIR oe1ore
or an NJ. P. after h's name is no indl-
cation that he knows how TO purchase
munitions.
"The British government should or
anize committees composed OF buSl-
,,ss men from different trades TO pur-
chase from that trade in America: a
nan wno buys wire is not quaIlued
necessarily to purchase leather and SO
cr. In this way purchases would DC
made more in the interests OF the couh-
NV than in those of one company
which very naturally seeks only proEts'
Has .Aeroplane Offer.
81 have talked with many manufact-
,rers who said they would be glad to
,ryke war materials, but could obtain
no orders from Morgan & Co. For in
etance. | have placed before the BRUSH
,,ovornment an offer made TO me for
80 aeroplanes to be delivered in Octo-
her The government has said that no
moro aeroplanes could be bought. We
have money sufficient TO finance the
firms that could convert their machin'
cry for making munitions:
Marten Egan. head of the publicity
department of J. P. Morgan Co, said
il would be impossible TO obtain state
ments from members of the Morgan
rrm about Mr. Donald's declarations
lie said he had never heard OF Mr.
Donald. .,
"Who is this man Donald anyway
lie asked.
Members of J. P. Morgan & Co could
80, no reached last night.