Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-05-22
Turns Down $7,OOO,OOO
Profit on Rifles For War

There is a man in Detroit who slit
open a cablegram from London the
other day and saw $7.000,O0 in ready
profit staring him in the face. About
all that he had to do to grab it was
to seize a pen and write Yes. But
instead of that he wrote mo" and
"Old Man Scruples" won a rare VIC
tory.
The news columns of the daily pa
pers have carried many stories, writ
ten with much elation and sounding
rhetorical cymbals, about the huge war
orders that American manufacturers
are filling. but only occasionally-very
occasionally-has there been an an
nouncement of the rejection of such
orders. In two or three instances "Old
Man Scruples" stepped in, and this is
one of the rare occasions when he was
numbered among those present.
Frederick z. Wadsworth. prominent
among the manufacturers of automo-
bile accessories. stationary engines.
motorboats and canoes, is the man
who had the hardihood to turn down
the profit of s7,o00.000 on a war
order.
Among Mr.. Wadsworth's enterprises
are the Michigan Steel Boat Company
and the Detroit Engine Works. In
connection with these industries he
runs several large machine shops. His
London agent knew all about those
machine shops and their capacity and
resources. AS mater of fact. they
are being used now to build $4,000
shelter tents for the British army. So
the London agent got busy and the re-
suit was the cablegram Mr.. Wadsworth
received. 1t was an order from the
British war office for 100000 rifles of
the Mauser type at $29 per rifle. Such
implements of war can be bought here
fNr~
would mean at least $7,000,000.
Twenty per cent of the total sum
was to go with the order and twelve
millions of it were guaranteed by Eng
hsh bankers. Deliveries need not be
completed until December and Mr..
Wadsworth knew that he could easily
turn out the rifles. The barrels of the
guns, the only parts difficult for him
to handle. he could contract for in the
East and also in a city in Michigan.
But he cabled NO" Within twenty
four hours after his rejection of the
order Mr.. Wadsworth was in receipt of
nearly hundred letters commencing
him for the stand he had taken.
Some people have asked me why
am making shelter tents for the Brit
ish army If I am unwilling to make
their rifles" said Mr.. Wadsworth, COM
menting on his action. "I am per-
fectly willing to take all the orders
can get for tents, foodstuff, clothing or
similar necessities, but somehow I
could not accept an order for a COM
modify that was to be used to kill
people in a war in which this country
had no interest. / would much prefer
to have less of this worlds goods than
TO have with me constantly the thought
that my wealth was won in that way.
But don't imagine for a moment I
took this action because 1 am an ex-
treme pacificist or for any similar rea-
son. If this country were at war
would gladly make all the guns and
ammunition the government might
need. Making destructive weapons for
another country, however, seems to me
to be quite different. I don't fancy the
idea of killing people. Perhaps my
attitude may seem a little severe, but
when 1t comes to killing I don't like
the idea of being a party to the deal.
even though remote party. Even in
our regular business we take extreme
precautions. When a lad writes to us
that he wants to buy a canoe. we
ascertain his age and whether or not
ne can swim. We confer with his
parents, If possible, before we sell him.
AS for making rifles for a foreign coun-
try decline. I don't set myself up
as pattern for any man. I simply
don't care to make nloney that WAY