Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1915-12-16

House of Representatives,
Washington, D. c., Dec. 2, 1915.
Colonel Robert M. Thompson,
President, Navy League,
Washington, d. G.
My Dear Colonel.
/ assume from your letter of the
Goth ult, and from your various utter
| ances as President of the Navy Lea
que, that the impression you desire III
create in the minds of the American
people is that none of the men who
founded, or who have been, or are
now, directors of or contributors to
the Navy League, have ever been, or
IRE now, in any manner interested in
any concern which would profit fnan-
cially from the $500,O00,OO0 bond is
sue for battleships, etc., which you
are advocating.
understand your position to be
that none of the money which the
Navy League has used to banquet
members Of Congress and Secretaries
of the Navy or to carry on the pro-
paganda for the vastly increased nav
al appropriations which you advocate,
has come from any gentlemen who
stand to profit therefrom. contend
that the opposite is true.
In your letter you request that /
give you some specific information.
call your attention to the fact that
Elbert H. Gary, who is described in
the Directory of Directors for 1914 as
Chairman of the Board of Directors
and Chairman of the Finance Com
mittee Of the United States Steel Cor
poration," contributed $1,000 on June
10, 1915, and that on the same date
representatives of the ]. p. Morgan
estate subscribed $1,000. ~ /
call your attention to the fact that
]. P. Morgan, who is director of the
United States Steel Corporation, was
formerly treasurer of, the Navy Lea
que and is now a director of and a
contributor to the Navy League, and
that ]. P. Morgan's brother-in-law,
herbert L. Satterlee, was one Of the
lncorporators of the League, and is at
the present time the General Counsel
of tn League. also note that Edw.
T. Stotesbury, a member of the firm
of ]. P. Morgan & Co., and q director
of the Baldwin Locomotive works,
Cambria Steel Co., Phoenix Iron Co.,
Riverside Metal Co., Temple Iron Co.,
VIM. Cramp & Sons Ship and Engine
Building Co., and fifty-four other cor
porations, banks and trust companies,
is one of the honorary vicepresidents
of the Navy League. +
also call your attention to the fact
that George F. Baker, Jr., No. 2 Wall
street, New York, son of director of
United States Steel, contributed $1,000
to the Navy League June 10, 1915.
l call your attention q to the fact
that Robert Bacon formerly a. member
of the firm of ]. p. Morgan & Co
and was first director of United
States Steel, is director Of the Navy
Leagde.
+ / call your attention to the fact
that Henry G. Frick, director OIL
United States Steel, and ten other
corporations, banks and trust COM
papies, is one of the vice presidents
of the Navy League.
United. States Steel controls the
Carnegie Steel Company, which has
drawn down from the Navy contracts
aggregating $32,954,377 for armor
plate alone, and iif the Navy Leagues
$500, 100000 bond issue goes through
Congress this firm win profit still
further "a Il
I call your attention to the fact that
Allan A.. Ryan, a director Of the
Bethlehem Steel Corporation, contri-
buted 800 to the Navy League on
June 10, 1915. and to the further fact
that George r. Sheldon, director Of
the Bethlehem Steel Corporation, and
the American Locomotive Co., both Of
which concerns have profited hugely
from European war orders, Is one Of |
the vice presidents Of the Navy
League Mr. Shaldon is alen d;rAn
tor Of twenty-four other corporations. |
! The Bethlehem Steel CORPORATION
has obtained from the Navy Depart
ment armor contracts amounting to
s4z,S21.2 s7. and 4 the Navy Leagues