The Johnson City comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1916-1917, 1916-06-29

makers would offer to supply armo!
nation would still be recreant to its
responsibilities if it permitted exist,
ing conditions in iron and steel, mD-
milton and armor-making to last any
longer. 1t should be emphasized
over and over again that about 81
per cent. of the steel production OF
the United States comes out of ores
from the Lake Superior region
which pass through short canal
which could at any moment be block
ed by the explosion of a few sticks
of dynamite. In such an event, tn.
entire iron and steel industry and
all interests dependent upon then
throughout the country would instan
tanaously collapse, for the South anC
Southwest produce only about PEE
cent. of the steel made in the United
States. This condition should never
have been permitted to exist prior t.
the war, but now that the worlds
attention has been called to this
amazing situation and it's danger
brought to national attention ha.
been called to this amazing situation
ard it's danger brought to national
attention by Europe's struggle, i,
will be unspeakable folly to permit
it to continue longer. If the Bethle
hem or other armor-plate makers
want to show their patriotism it
should be done by building armor.
plate and munition plants far away
from the coast and not dependent
upon Lake Superior ores. or else in
a spirit of broad national patriotism
sink their own individual interests
and encourage the Government 70
build such plants where they would
be safe in time of war. Any other
policy on the part of armor-plate or
interests would in
dictate a lack of broad patriotism |
which, for their honor and the hon
or of the country, it is to be hoped
will never have to be charged against |
the great industrial leaders of the
country.
RICHARD H. EDM0NDS,
Editor Manufacturers Record.
Telegram From Senator Tillman.
Manufacturers Record, Baltimore,
Nd.
Washington, D. c.. June 21.-In re
ply to your wire just received, the
power to locate the armor plant au
thorized by the Senate and agreed to
in the House Naval Appropriation
bill is placed in the Secretary of the
Navy, subject to the approval of the +
general board. The naval commit
Zee has no power to change this res
But | will call the at
IGNITION of the Secretarf to the strong l.
presented in your tele-
gram. | shall urge on him the wis
lom of the facts you present, and no
doubt he will give them serious con-
Sideration. OF course, you know al
ready that materials for making ar
are found in Alabama, Vir-
ginia, and in Pennsylvania, to say
nothing about other places. If the
Lake Superior ores were not obtain
able we still would not lack for ma
terial to make armor. But the struc
tural steel and other steel needed by
commerce and the business interests
Of the country would be very difficult
TO obtain, of course.
B. r. TILLMAN.
In this telegram Senator Tillman
seems to display sad lack of knowl-
edge of the steel industry. He is ap-
laboring under the delusion
that because Pennsylvania makes
ron and steel it is independent of
Lake Superior ores.
For the Government to continue
o depend upon armor-plate produced
n one State only, and dependent
wholly upon one source of ore sup
ply, would be a monumental blundar
almost criminal in its stupidity and
IS danger to the nation.
second Telegram to Senator Tillman.
Baltimore, Nd, June %.
Ion. Benjamin r. Tillman, United
States Senate, Washington, d. c.: II