Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-02-03

Mr.. Tavenner If those who demand
such large army and navy are Who'll
ly sincere, and il their only desire is
that we shall have the strongest pos
sible army and navy, why should they
not want US to obtain the maximum
defensive power or the maximum
striking power for every dollar we ap-
propriate, instead of only about 65
cents worth Of fighting strength for
every dollar appropriated?
BY manufacturing armor, munitions,
submarines, aeroplanes, and so forth,
in its own plants the government will
be able to keep for its own use any
improvements in such vehicles Of war.
Under the present policy of giving the
major part of military contracts to
private concerns it has been impossi-
bic to do this. Even now" says Sec
rotary of the Navy Daniels, 1.-THE i'm
provement In armor and the designs
worked out by the navy have been
embodied in the warship of another
nation recently finished by the Beth
lehem Steel company and put into
commission. This is not an argument
lightly to be disregarded in favor of a
government armor plant, nor has 1t
been overlooked, for instance, by ia
pan, which has erected its own armor-
making plant and surrounded 1t with
such secrecy that none Of the other
nations is able to tell whether or not
at this minute the Japanese armor
may not be superior to any other in
existence"
Under the present system the gov
eminent is at the mercy of few con-
Germs having a monopoly of the man
ufacture of the materials of war, who
ment to divide the government con-
tracts between themselves and be-
tween whom there is no competition
worthy Of the name. II do not see
how it is possible for congress to JUS
tify to the people refusal to erect a
government plant" said Secretary
Daniels to congress, nor how it can
answer the charge that will invariably
be brought up-that the same myster-
ious providence which saved this prof
liable business to the steel companies
three times in the past, even after
money for a government plant had
actually been appropriated, it not still
at work exercising its beneficent pro-
lection over these lusty specimens of
infant industries, who are even now
! under government investigation as
violators of the antitrust law"
It is argued by some who oppose
/ government manufacture as policy
| that the government should give to
private manufacturers contracts in
! time of peace in order that they may
be relied upon for patriotic coopera-
ton in time of war.
But what are the facts? When war
with Spain was imminent the three
concerns in this country which have a
monopoly of the manufacture of armor
plate got together and practically is
sued an ultimatum to their own gov
eminent, the United States govern
ment, that they would not manufac-
ture single piece of armor plate I'M
less we should agree to pay them $10C
a ton more than the price fixed by
congress after an investigation as tt
a fair price. But their patriotism did
not prevent them from selling armo1
plate to the Russian government fol
S249 ton while they were asking Of
their own government 1915 a ton
applause on the democratic side)
Mr.. Davis Of Texas. Amen.
Mr.. Tavenner. The present Euro.
pean war has demonstrated that pri.
vate plants not in the business of man.