The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1916-07-21
May Not Build Plant
If Private Concerns
Are "GOOd."
PRICE ALREADY
FORCED DOWN
MunitiOn Men Offer to
Make Plate at Fair
Price.

WASHINGTON, July 2l.-AI
though congress ausfleftzod an $11.-
100000 government arr on Plate fac
tory and Appropriated ssones, for
its construction, we<I rseafy, many
OF the senator's and sssmen
who voted for It a1 sE believs
Uncle Sam will 50 X ssrmor
making business rx,nZ J.s1kxhe-
lieve the bill authoriE u
plant VIII Ia '>SissES.ESA saa3de ~
them "be good"
Charges have been made repeated
ly that during the % years the gov
ernment has been purchasing armor
OF private manufacturers extortion-
ate prices have been paid that have
resulted in millions of profits TO the
producers. During hearings before
congressional committees Il was ad-
mitted by representatives OF the pri-
vate plants that they have sold
armor cheaper in some instances
to foreign governments than TO the
United States.
because the three manufacturers
OF armor in the United States sub
mitted identical bids 10 the United
States government. Secretary OF the
Navy Josephus Daniels advocated
the passage OF a law, authorizing
government manufacture. His long
fght for the enactment Of such a
measure eliminated when the SEN
ate accepted tho house provislon OF
the naval appropriation bill, which
authorizes the secretary Of the navy
&c build or purchase an armor plato
plant of sufficient size 10 meet the
! needs Of tho government.
BY a vote OF II TO 81 the senate
rejected an amendment offered by
Senator oliver, Of Pennsylvania.
having for its purpose the elimina-
tion of that section OF the bill. which
authorizes government plant. The
Pennsylvania read the offer of the
Bethlehem Steel Co. to make ar1nor
for the United States at a price 10
be fixed by the federal trade COM
mission, and advocated the accept
ance OF that in lieu of the provision
OF the bill. Eleven Republicans
| Joined with the Democratic senators
In rejecting the Oliver amendment.
Only one Democrat. Senator Tag
CART. OF Indiana, voted with the Re
publicans, who opposed the appro-
priation for the federal plant. Those
who Joined the Democrats were Sem
ators Borah, Idaho; Clapp, Mime
sofa; Cummins, Iowa; Gianna,
North Dakota: Jones. Washington; /;
Kenyon. Iowa; LaFoilette, Wiscon-
sin: Norris. Nebraska; Poindexter,
Washington; Sterling. South Ia.
kota; Works, California.
Even though the federal armor
plate factory should never be built
those who have been most active
IN the passage of the bill author
izing II. believe the hght has been
Justified. because tho private manu-
facturers have submitted prloe this
year $50 ton lower than that ever
made before. This has been done,
despite the fact that the producers
claim the price OF all the com
modities going into tho manufac-
ture Of armor are the highest In his
tory. Since IL has been apparent
that there were enough votes IN con-
gress to pass the bill for federal
srmor plate factory, the private
manufacturers have offered TO sup.
ply the United States at its own
price. II this offer In made good,
Il is considered highly probable that
tho government will not build or
purchase plant, but will hold H.
self In readiness 10 do so a, any
|thne the prices are unJustly high.