The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1916-02-10
u. S. ARMS PLANT
BILL IS APPROVED
Senate Body Recommends Pass
age Of Measure.
ARMoR MEN MAKE THREAT
Tell Senator Penrose That They VIII
Raise Price $500 a Ton II United
States Builds Own
Plants.

Washington, Feb. 9.--PriVate armoT
plate manufacturers notified the sen
ate naval committee they would raise
the price of armor plate 5000 a ton If
congress decides to erect or purchase
armor-plste factories for the govern
ment. ~ - .....
Senator Penrose (Rep) Of Pennsyl-
vania notified the committee of the
stand OF armor-plate manufacturers.
those chiefly concerned being the
Bethlehem and Midvale Steel COM
panies.
The committee voted nevertheless,
8 to 3, 10 report favorably Senator Till
mans bill to authorize the secretary
OF the navy to provide either by erec-
ton or purchase an armor-plate fac
tory, with capacity of not less than
10000 tons of armor year. The bill
would appropriate $11,OO0,O00. Sena-
tors Penrose, Lodge and Smith OF
Michigan (Reps,) voted against report
ing the bill. .....
Seven Democrats for Bill.
Chairman TiIlman and Senators
Swanson, Bryan, Johnson (Maine),
Chiffon, Phelan and Pittman Dems.)
and Clapp and Poindexter (Reps.)
voted for it, ...
The threat of the armor barons to
hold up the government will not affect
congress" said Senator Tillman. We
We're given to understand that the
armor manufacturers would increase
their price because government manu-
facture of armor plate would force
them to go out of that business and
they would charge this enormous in
crease in order to provide themselves
with an amortization fund. But /
guess we can find way to stop the
robbers. In time of trouble we could
seize their plants and operate them
by right of eminent domain"
Senators figured that if the armor.
plate manufacturers did raise the price
1t would cost the government 24,000,-
GOO extra for armor plate to complete
the five-year naval building program.
Senator Tillman said he proposed
to ask Senator Penrose to repsat the
announcement Of the armor-plate man.
ufacturers TO the senate
After brief consideration the COM
mittee ordered favorably reported the
bill authorizing the expenditure OF
100000 to equip Mare island navy
yard for battleship construction, and
100000 to enlarge facilities of the
New York navy yard, and the bill to
add 800 midshipmen to the entrance
class at Annapolis next July. These
two bills passed the house.
Farmers Oppose Defense Plans.
Other opponents of preparedness
had hearing before the house mill
tary committee.
Representatives OF the National
grange, headed by L. J. Taber Of
GAINESVILLE, o., opposed army and
navy increases on the ground that
they meant burden of taxation that
might really be weapon in the hands
of an enemy.
President Dornblazer Of the Farm
ers' union Of Texas and representing.
be said, farmers organizations of %
states, opposed any large increase in
expenditures for defense and ap-
proved only reasonable outlay" for
coast defense by submarines or similar
means.
IF it comes to a scrap" he said,
the farmers will fall in line and
Texas will furnish as many men as
any other state. We would lick the
stuffln' out of any of EN-"