The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-03-22
u. s. ARMOR PLANT
BILL PASSES SENATE
Plan for Construction Of SILL
100000 Mill Wins by Vote
Of 50 to %.
DEMOCRATS STAND SOLID

DEMOCRATS STAND SOLID
Of SO TO 20 the Senate to-day passed the
Tillman bill authorizing the construction
Or purchase Of a Government m plate
plant at a cost Of Sii.oO0.o 900. Every
Democratic Senator who voted was
recorded in favor OF the new plan Of
ownership.
The following Progressive Republicans
also voted for the bill: Borah. Ciapp.
Cummins. Gronna. Kenyon. Norris. Pom
dexter, Sterling and Works.
The vote came after a day OF debate
In which the controversy at imr waxed
hot. Senator Reed Of Missouri in course
Of the debate upbraided Mr.. Oliver OF
Pennsylvania for POSSE ssing 1000 shares
Of United States Steel Cooperation stock,
which Mr.. Reed averred was worth $780,.
~. .
Senator Oliver sought to interrupt on
= question Of personal privilege. u Mr..
Reed had the floor and would not yiold.
Mr.. Reed never was in better trim than
to-day. lie scolded the United states
Steel Corporation for the alleged short
comlngs of its subsidiary the Bethle-
hem Steel Company.
Nobody tried to correct Senator Reed.
because he would not permit II. lie
insisted that Senator Harding had sa,d
he nfQfeFrpd 'fn fakn thu a,rl 80 $3.50.
tain OF industry to a captain of the army
Or navy
wi11inG % Ne . Demasosu~.
Senator Harding denied that he mad
made any such statement. but Mr.. Reed
declined to he deprived ~ his text and
kept reitorating Il. lie said that II he
was 10 be called "a d~emagogue' for de-
rendinE the people against the captains
OF INDUSTRY he cheerfully accepted the
designation.
In reaching a conclusion To authorize
a government armor plant the Senate
made a remarkable record. BY A vote of
" 10 80 they refused 10 direct the Sec
re0ry OF inc Navy TO call IN expert
chartered private accountants TO omen
&c, or BOOKS and keep Il record OF the
expenses OF plans. site, construction and
other costs leading up to the es,,b-
ishment OF a Government plant and
nnaiiy 10 report on the cost per ton o,
armOr At a Government plant.
senator Newlands and Senator Cum
Hi,hs. senator Borah and Senator Works.
al OF whom voted for the Government,
plant. urged the expert accountan,
Senator Newlands reminded
~ democratic colleagues that they had
49," urging against the armor manu-.
IAfynTRr0 tho fA.s 49,.
a,.s,n.r 'ne tact that they would not
s.~,sr '"e.' actual cost items. Now to
III. k''e 'he public the benent OF
tAas information as II related 10 . On.
0nlment plant was not consistent.
Senator Hok. s,,i,, -.
MS colleague. Mr.. Hardvlck. LED rn.
the expert Accountants; a~mendnen, IN
ssNeai the real cor, OF armor mstjo~
~ the Government. but the Sena,. re.
Jecteo Senator Weeks's amendment ana
suostituted FOR II Senator Sorrjss
which called on the Secretary Of ~.
NaSy TO furnish the information. soma.
so.s po'h,ed out that this added nothing.
LOT the secretary OF the Navy would
nvep oooks on himself and was under
osa''ons 10 furnish the information
nov.
The majority OF the s.,at. ,-
49, .ne recommendations OF the Pr.sI-
Sen' ana the Secretary of the Navy.
ue'erni.Neu 10 embdrk on the new
".n " government ownership and
eontroi OF m making.
senator Weeks offered an
."e SetTetary be directed TO call
IN expert private accountants who were
W ascertain the cost OF making arn,o.
spptF1ng the same methods tina, u,n,,d
DC app'ed in reaching the manurac,ur
ING COST IN any other manufac,,ri,
pIant' ana then award contracts Ia ,ha
three plants Ar nric.. ,h"ts 10 the
turn D per cent. on the invested c.n,,s,
soo'e The cost OF manufacture
~"O6 . Ton Proposed,
that the pr,co 49," al amendment
q tor. tho nr,co ~, =" not exceed 1895
nad "n'cn me bethlehem
for the Gnycrnnnnn 10 make armor
building nroarht under the navy
accen,ed hea'nne senator Weeks
Sena,e ,o,"s "n"'s"dnnent. and then the
voted agains, his own senator fhelan
Senator N.uIa,ds ~snIendtnent.
ment 70 r,s,rn"a oHered an amend
TO permi, me ""ss from ITS passage
contract for armor win -, 'a,y %
manufacturer at a price NO, n''."'e
$3.50 n ton. The Senate yo,aL Nu'Hs
amendment with a rush ,rd -" ."iS
ToIlcall on IL. S.p,,or 49," !"
amendment provided ina, 4, NeNtahds
mauuf,rtnr.r OH we private