The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1916-08-12
Munitions Plants
To Be Scrapped


est munitions plant ever developed
by this or any other country-the
aggregate plant that has given us
our war babies and war brides and
the allies the ammunition to stop the
German drive-is about to be thrown
on the scrap heap.
At the very moment when the peo
pie have been brought to realize the
American governments poverty in
war preparedness, the factory which
might give us that preparedness is to
BIO discarded unused.
This factory is the combined mach.
inery and investment of the private
concerns which leaped into the mum.
lions business at the call of Europe.
Almost every town in the United
States has had taste of the pros.
rerity resulting from the munitions
business. There is scarcely a ma
chine shop anywhere that in some
form or other has not been manufac.
TO do this work vast quantity of
special machinery has been installed.
It has been installed at Il high cost,
an extravagant cost, hut Europe has
paid every nickle Of this cost.
And now, with such plant at the
disposal Of our own government. in
stead of using It for our own prepar.
edness we are permitting 1t to be
scrapped Who is responsible? A
short sighted administration in Wash
ington. A shorter sighted Democrat
lc Congress.
General Crozier recently told q
committee of Congress that in case
OF war our greatest need would be
for manufacturing plant Of such ca
pacity that 1t could turn out all the
munitions we would require.
We have such plant today, entire
: " at the disposal of the government.
: hut the government, administration
and Congress, is not giving that plant
the slightest encouragement to ex
) list The scrapping process is upon
rs. 1t has already started as wal
contracts with Europe have terminal
cd.
Congress, with the backing of the
\ administration, is keener than ever
for the government manufacture o.
munitions. Thus at time when We
have this great private war plant tt
; use at reasonable prices, Congress II
appropriating huge sums Zr the con
. rtruction OF a government munitions
! plant at public expense, allowing this
y private investment, paid for by Eu
rope to go to waste.
The bugbear OF Special Privilege
+, IL being held up by the Compression
al orators in their debates upon thu
preparedness bills. II the war II
:, Europe has shown anything, 1t hal
> shown that there must be specia
privilege in adequate preparedness.
=, An example of this is shown II
:, Congress stupidity IN dealing will
:, small arms manufacture. Congress
:, md the administration must be hel'
equally responsible, insisted tina
:, there must be no special privilege II
. The manufacture of small arms 10
a the government Consequently, b.
n law enacted by Congress. the con
:. tracts for sman arms must be let t.
The lowest bidders.
What happened when this Law
went into effect? The plant OF tn
lowest bidder was found to be local
ed on the shores of Long Islam
Sound. Instead of allowing the wa
Department to place the small arm
\ manufacture in strategic locations
regardless of cost. Congress insist
uron giving the contract to the low
est bidder; with the result that
hostile feet, overcoming ours, ca
(und would. as its first task she
the small arms plant and destroy on
supply of these indispensable weal
Ons.
The intelligence which, thus dell
a. cred us to the mercy OF an enemy
o. fnr as small arms manufacture Is col
&c eerned, is now appropriating vas
II sums for a government armor plat
n plant, for government powder plant
Nj and for the development OF govern
a. ment arsenal manufacture ~ othe
ID munitions. The pork hunters al
busy securing the location Of tines
d plants in their own communities,
n The reckoning is coming soone
'e than is popularity supposed. hurop
Is has at last developed her own nun
1t lions business. Our contracts AT
|. coming to an end. One great pow
re der concern announces that unles