The Washington times., 1922-06-17
INCREASE
|N0UTPUT
/. URGED
Possible to Manufacture Al
D. c. Supplies in Plant
at Saving. s,.,

ot Sovut6s E,s-
Congress has received q pro-
posal that all the supplies needed
by the government Of the District
Of Columbia, aggregating more
than 100000 annually be manu-
factured in the Washington navy
yard.
II the plan is carried out, not
only will all of the recently dis
charged employees in the navy
yard be put back to work, but
nearly 100000 will be saved the
District government, the support
ers of the plan declare.
Proposed by Machinists.
Among the District supplies which
could he manufactured in whole or
In part at the Navy Yard are fire
engines, street sprinklers, trench
diggers, steam shovels. paving ma
chinely, tools of all varieties, paints.
construction material. locks, park
supplies and 50 forth.
The proposal was recently placed
before the House Naval Affairs
Committee by N. p. Alias. pres.
dent of District Lodge 10. A. In.
ternational Association Of Machiu.
lists, and Capt. o. F. Byer. con.
sulting engineer with the machin-
lists national organization.
The plan Is now being considered
bt the House Naval Affairs Com
mittee. II the Washington Navy
Yard Is converted to industrial uses
II might be developed into one Of
the largest plants ST its kind in
the country. ~.
u. 8. Is Heavy Buyer.
Figures were submitted to the
House Naval Affairs Committee
showing that the United States Gov.
ernment buys hundreds of millions Of
dollars worth Of material annually
from private contractors. The Dis
trict government is large purchaser
Of supplies, most of the purchases be-
Ing made Of private concerns outside
of Washington.
: Representatives of the machinists
did not suggest that these purchases
be arbitrarily diverted to the Wash
ington Navy Yard. They only asked
that the Washington Navy Yard be
permitted to bid for the manufacture
Of these materials against private
contractors.
They showed that In hundreds Of
cases where there had been competi-
tive bidding, from amor plate Gown
to small tools and other manufac-
tured articles, the Government navy
underbid private contractors by per-
centases ranstng from 10 to 40 per
cent.
Captain Boyer, the consulting en-
gineer OF the machinists. and Mr..
Atlas pointed out that the Washing
ton Navy Yard was In a strategic po-
sition, not only to manufacture sup
plies for the District government, but
for all the Federal departments To-
Gated In Washington. The .ranspor-
tation element Of cost was entirely
eliminated. they showeds
Big Saving Possible.
A complete program was placed
Committee for the manufacture Of
Government supplies in the Navy
Yard, and q saving of at least $751;
900, 900 was Indicated. II the WASH
ington Navy Yard should secure it's
fair share Of this business Il might
run at full capacity for Industrial
purposes, and all of its employees
recently discharged could be put
back at work Immediately. The
washington navy yard, despite n
rather high overhead rate. probably
would be able to underbid all the
other yards and arsenals for Gov
ernment work because OF It's prox.
unity to Washington. ~.
"I have visited all the navy
yards" said Captain Boyer. ''and in
consequences believe that what is
presented here Is a true reflection
Of the actual situation. We point
out that the type OF personnel which
Ia employed In the yards and arsen.
ais is well fitted for industrial work.
We show that former Secretary
Daniels, Of the Navy Department. de-
clared that he could get all kinds of
navy supplies manufactured cheaper
in the navy yards than he could get
them from private contractors. Il
must be remembered that the private
contractor had to make a profit. and
the Government only tries to make
expenses. Then the overhead in n
properly conducted navy yard or
arsenal is much lower than in the
private plants. II
Many Advantages.
"Thsre is little depreciation, no
insurance, no rent, no fixed
charges, no interest TO pay on bor-
rowed money. and no bad debts.
Every comparison with the past
has shown that the Government
plan has an enormous advantage
over private plants in bidding for
Government Industrial work, and
believe this advantage will increase
rapidly in the near future"