Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-01-21
SWEEPING Q|Uz IN
TAvENNER'SM0vE
Rock Island Congressman Asks That
Light Be Turned on In Full
on Munition Kings.
ASKS FOR JOINT COMMITTEE
Urges That Investigators Spare No Per-
SON or Interest in Bringing
Out the Facts.


Out the Facts.
Washington, Jan. 21.-The resolu
ion introduced by Representative G
I. Tavenner of Illinois for an investi
alton as to what has become Of thu
Millions of dollars heretofore appro
'riated for the army and navy is tn,
most sweeping measure of the kint
yer presented to congress. 1t follows
q full:
Whereas, More than two hun
bred million dollars, raised prin-
cipally by taxing the things that
the people eat, wear and use, have
been expended annually on the
army and navy under the general
assumption that in return for this
colossal expenditure the nation
was being reasonably prepared
and
Whereas, 1t is now being gener-
ally asserted in many quarters that
the nation is pitifully 'unprepared.'
the specific charge having been
made on the floor of the house of
representatives by member
thereof that If war were to break
out today, 1t would be found that
our coast defenses have not suffi-
cient ammunition for an hours
fight and
Whereas, 1t has also been
charged in the congress that mil
lions of dollars of public funds
have been wasted by the payment
to private manufacturers, by army
and navy officers, of from 20 to go
per cent more for large quantities
of army and navy supplies, than
the same could have been obtained
for through their manufacture in
government arsenals and navy
yards, and
Whereas, President Wilson in a
message to the congress on Dec. 8,
1914, said that like good stewards,
we should so account for every
dollar Of our appropriations as to
make it perfectly evident what it
was spent for and in what way it
was spent and
Whereas, The profit incident to
the manufacture and sale of arms,
armament, and munitions of war
has tendency to corrupt public
opinion, disturb international
peace, and prevent a peaceful set
Element of disputes between ma
tons; and inasmuch as it ought to
be made impossible for any per-
son or corporation to make money
out of war; and inasmuch as the
safety and protection, manufacture
all arms, armament, and munitions
of war for the equipment, con-
struction and use of the army and
navy to the end that it may be in
dependent Of individuals and cor
porate interests; and
Whereas, There has been pub
lie criticism of the action of ex-
army and ex-navy officers, who
after resigning or retiring, have
taken employment with concerns
having dealings with the govern
ment, and
Whereas, 1t has been charged
that supposedly secret plans and
designs worked out by officers and
employees of the navy department
at public expense for exclusive use
in American battleships were fur
nished to a private firm to be en-
bodied in battleships for another
nation, and
Whereas, It has been charged
that the Navy league, an organ
ization active in agitating for in
creased naval expenditures, has
among its founders officers, mem
bers and directors, persons who
are, or have been, officers, direc-
tors or stockholders of war-traf-
ticking firms. or concerns, which
stand to profit financially from the
increased naval appropriations De-
ing agitated by said Navy league,
and
Senators Stockholders.
Whereas, Hearings by the lobby
investigation committee of the
United States senate in 1915 re-
vealed that senators now in office
were stockholders of war-traffick-
ing firms and concerns which profit
financially from government ap-
preparations for the army and
navy, and
Whereas, Any or all Of the div
ers matters heretofore mentioned
may bear on the alleged wasting
Of public funds and the alleged I'M
preparedness of our nation in spite
OF the enormous appropriations
made by congress annually, and
Whereas, 1t is deemed advisable
to gather the facts bearing on the
aforesaid conditions and charges,
or in any way or manner relating
thereto or to any of the subjects
above mentioned. as a basis for
remedial and other legislative pur-
poses, therefore be it
Resolved, That a joint commit
tee OF the senate and house of rep
resentatives, to consist of six
members OF the senate. to be ap-
pointed by the president of the
senate. and six memhers Of tho