The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-04-17
SsheeS Put An Cards on Table
-, e Nestlag d Bsck Island
Coumlttee,

Terms Of rank inefhciency,"
pork" Crooks" political pull"
and big business" we're applied,
first - vailed hints, then asserted
"a careful statements, ana finally
or1nly alleged - factors in the
oplfAtion Of the hve great manu-
fac1nring arsenals Of the country.
when alleged contemplated closing
OF the Rock Island arsenal was
discussed Friday afternoon at the
city hall.
Eighteen prominent citizens.
Mayor Harry n. Schriver. the four
city commissioners. City Attorney
J. K. Scott, and two representa-
tiyes OF the Arsenal federation
were present.
Even the term bunker party"
was banded about in connection
with the alleged activities OF the
general sta6 Of the United States
army which was held to be one Of
the biggest factors in the alleged
contemplated closing Of the AZ
Isenals. The question was asked rs
to whether q bunker party" is
taking control of the government
Through the subserviency Of ad-
ninistration officials to the general
S&aK.
Draw Out Evidence.
C. A. Cook, president of the Ar
senal federation, and CD. Worley.
representative Of the arsenal or
dafs branch, put the arsenal case
belDfe the meeting.
At first they were guarded in
their statements, which brought q
demand from those present for all
64oemation they had showing that
49, government is intending To
pIace the Rock Island arsenal and
the other four arsenals Of the ma.
ton in cold storage" with only
guards and caretakerS in charge.
The arsenal representatives were
careful in guarding their sources
of information. They. said that
they must honor the condolences
placed in them. However, they
were prevailed upon to produce one
piece OF concrete evidence to sub
stantiate their claims, which they
asked be held in confidence. Quo
tations from alleged statements
from congressman, senators ant
members of the general staff of the
army figured in the statements.
Rank ineficiency" was charged
against the general staff. Pulling
of wires" and lobbying were alleg
ed as a means to divert peace tim.
arsenal work to private corpora
tons.
Danger Ahead.
Great stress was placed upol
the evidence at hand, and the com
mjttee as whole decided tina
heroic measures are necessary Il
avert "psnhandling" Of the people
tax money, the baking Of force
alleged to be at work to close tn
arsenals by allowing peace tim
work TO 60 to private plants.
y Will Sect Rock Island.
The committee was startled by
= statement OF A. F.. Horst, of tn
Henry W. Horst Construction com
pany, that he had personally hear
persons in power in Washington
state that:
I'VE will get Rock Island an
that community some day"
Mr.. Horst said that these state
ments were made at the time whel
he and other delegates went t
Washington during the time tina
the government houses wer
being constructed in an effort t
rescind orders that work on tn
houses be stopped.
Mr.. Horst said that the threat t
get Rock Island was made b
men angry over the fight that wa
being put up at that time by tn
previous city administration t.
force the United States HOUSING
corporation to place sanitary
plumbing in the houses. cav
troughs on the roofs and lead pipe
In the street instead of iron, whicl
Il was held would rust out in tw,
or three years and cause big losse
by tearing up pavements for re
pair.
Mr.. Horst put up his statemen
Is possible reason why there ar
contemplated plans for>closing tn
Rock Island arsenal.
4 Officials ~Small."
However, the committee hel,
that as the closing program ex
tends to all arsenals there coul,
hardly be direct connection of tn
getting Rock Island" statemen
With the program now up.
The committee held that IL on
Gals actually made the statemen
&s quoted by Mr.. Horst, they ar
Small narrowminded and shout
be thrown out of Office"
Il Surplus Material Lost.
MIR. Horst also supported tn
Statements made by the federat!o
laen to the effect that the govern
luent zone officers in charge Of SUI
plus material scarcely have an
records and that they seldom kno7
where material Is at or seemingl
make any attempt to locate it.
{ q He cited the case OF the hous
fng construction here. He said ths
here was 100000 worth of mater
II left over, and that his CON
amy sent in reports. He said tina
0ese scarcely did any good for tn
reason that he believed that "th
pApers were lost within a wee
sitter reaching their destination"
He declared that his compan
aont q representative to Washing
ton and kept him there until tn
llaterial was sold.
The committee heard the Arsens
y federation assert that the arsenal
afe not now manufacturing wa
munitions and that the men do nc
want the government to manufaf
tnra such munitions where there
90 much already manufacture
that may never be used. They az
serted that the arsenals are nc