Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-12-04
NAVY LEAGUE HAS
!. CHANCE To CLEAR
fayenner Suggests That Directors Pas
Resolutions In Favor Of Govern
ment Manufacture.
THERE Is SMALL HOPE, HOWEVER
Congressman Gives Ont Full Text Of
His letter Addressed to seere-
tary Of Body.

Washington. D. G., Dec. 4-Congress-
man Tavenner OF Illinois today gave
cut the full text Of his answer to Pres
ident Thompson of the Navy league,
who recently challenged the congress-
man under threat of q damage suit to
/ cite instances where the Navy league
had been fostered by the munitions
manufacturing interests as Mr.. Tavern
ner had alleged in his Cooper Union
! speech IN New York. The congress-
mans reioinder is as follows:
House of Representatives Washing
ton, D. C., Dec, Colonel Robert NJ.
/ Thompson, president Navy league,
| Washington, D. C.-afy Dear Colonel:
/ assume from your letter of the Goth
fult.. and from your various utterances
las president Of the Navy league. that
the impression Won desire to create In
1.-THE minds of the American people is
that none of the men who founded. or
who have been, or are now, directors of
5or contributors to the Navy league.
have even been, or are now, in any
manner interested in any concern
which would profit financially from the
! S500,000,000 bond issue for battleships,
etc. which you are advocating.
/ I 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 propaganda for the
vastly increased naval appropriations
which You advocate, has come from
any gentlemen who stand to profit
therefrom. I contend that the opposite
is true
In your letter You request that
give you some specific information.
call your attention to the fact that
Ebert H. Gary, who is described in
the directory Of directors for 1914 as
chairman Of the board of directors and
chairman of the finance committee of
the United States Steel corporation, !"
contributed $1,000 on June 10. 1915,
and that on the same dare representa-
tives Of the J. P. Morgan estate sub
scribed $4,000
] call your attention to the fact that
]. P. Morgan, who is director of the
United States Steel corporation, was
formerly treasurer of the Navy league
and is now director of and contrib
uter re the Navy league and that ]. P.
Morgan's brother in-law. Herbert L.
ESatterlee, was one of the incorporators
of the league, aud is at the present
time the general counsel of the league
I also note that Edward T. Stotesbury,
q member OF the firm, of + T. Morgan
& Co, and director of the Baldwin
Locomotive works. Cambridge Steel
company, Phoenix Iron company. Riv-
erside Metal company. Temple Iron
company. William Cramp e Sons Ship
and Engine Building company. and "a
other corporations. banks and trust
companies, is one of the honorary vice
presidents Of the Navy league.
! 1 also call your attention to the fact
that George F. Baker, Jr, 2 Wall
street, New York. son of director of
United States Steel, contributed 81 600
to the Navy league. June 10, 1915.
/ call your attention to the fact that
Robert Bacon. formerly member Of
the firm of j. F. Morgan & Co. and
now first director of United States
Steel. is a director of the Navy league
/ call your attention TO the fact that
Henry C. Friek. director of United
States Steel, and 10 other corporations
banks and trust companies. is one Of
the vice presidents of the Navy league
| Some Fat Contracts.
United States Steel controls the
Carnegie Steel company, which has
drawn down from the navy contracts
laggregating So, 954, BIT for armor plate
alone and if the Navy leagues $500
100000 bond issue goes through con-
tgress this firm will profit still further.
/ call your attention to the fact that
Allan 4. Ryan, a director of the Beth
lehem Steel corporation, contributed
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 company, both
of which concerns have profted hugely
from European war orders, is one of
the vice presidents Of the Navy league
Mr. Sheldon is also a director of a
lother corporations.
The Bethlehem Steel corporation has
Eobtatned from the Navy department
Iarmor contracts amounting to s42 ,321ss-
1927. and il the Navy leagues program
Igoes through. Bethlehem stands TO re-
ceive increased orders.
4 From the foregoing it would appear
that two Of the three concerns COM
posing the arnor ring in this country
have representation either among the
contributors to the Navy league or
among the officers or directors of the
Navy league.
| The government has purchased from
these two concerns. Bethlehem and
carnegie. s75,275,61s worth of arrnor
plate. paving an average price of APP
proximately $40 ton therefor
4 II this arrnor plate had been manu-
I featured in government armor plate
B factory, which the Navy league has
I cold shouldered, al least $4,000 900
could have been saved to the American
taxpayers. There have been 10 esti-