Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1916-04-28
MUN1r1oN AND ARMoR PLANTS.

The controversy that has developed between the Beth
ehem Steel company and congress- following the passage
by the senate of "a bill to establish government armor
plate III mt has given to the erroneous impression
that the desire Of the government to put such private
industries affected out OF BUSINESS This is not the
1t has not been understood from the senate debates
that the government wishes to render worthless the
amol-making machinery of the Bethlehem, Carnegie or
Mdyalc steel companies All that is proposed is the
adjustment of plant that produce part OF the supply
needed by the government and that may be used to con-
troll prices 1t is the contention OF the Bethlehem Steel
company that establishment OF such plant would rum pr
yate annor business.
new light is thrown the subject by the fortified
lions BILL which is before the house This measure
authorizes expenditures amounting approximately to
$22000000 compared with average OF S6,OOO,OOU
yearly for the last five years Furthermore, the bill spe
officially adopts what is known the "Crozer plan for
nunton production General Crozers idea is that the
government best be prepared in munion matters by
utilizing the government equipment and cooperating with
private plants to make the latter disable at all times
1T is evident that IN order to make such bargain attract
i've and fair the would have to share III the
expense either OF equpping or operating private FAC
tories It is for the attainment Of this end that the for
fcatons bill has been prepared
General Grozer's plan embraces, at present. the APP
preparation Of $O00O00, with which to procure such
gauges dies gs TOOLS fixtures and other special aids and
appliances, including such plans, specifications and de-
tailed drawings may be necessary for the immediate
manufacture of arms ammunition and other material
essary for the defense of the country As complete set
of these appliances will cost several hundred thousand
dollars the SlOOOOOO appropriation II the Notifications
bill will go very far About $4,000 worth of output
from plants SO equipped Will pc purchased ahuahy me
bill also authorizes contracts for than $l2O0OOOO
II these provisions adopted domestic trade will be ia
voraby affected hence the machine and iron trade jour-
mails are equally concerned the Notifications and
armor plate plant bills Some papers, such as the Iron
Age disposed to praise the department at the
pense Of the navy department. because the navy proposes
to compete with the steel trade whereas the office
contempates cooperation The proposals have many
points in 1t is argued in support of the
plant bill that such plant is needed to afford cost basis
on which additional supplies may be had from private
ing out actual COSTS and the belief prevails that the pr
vate companies have been unfair In the matter of muni
ton and small production, the government already
has its arsenas the basis Of manufacture and in the
port of the board, which recommended the Crozer
plan, it stated that the government should continue
manufacture in order to exercise certain control
prices The hope, il these opinions correctly inter
preted, simply to attain the maximum production from
both government and private factories the government
at the time retaining the controlling power in prices
DEnrcroHro roD nEcupmuDc