Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1924-03-11
Edge Pledges Support of Him.
self and Other Represent
atives of Congress
TO REMOVE EXPLOSIVES
Says People Feel that They
Are Living Over a Set
tIing Volcano
By GEORGE HI. MANNING
Washington Correspondent of the
Perth Amboy Evening News)

WASHINGTON. March IL
Senator Walter e. Edge is convinced
that the only way TO prevent the
frequent occurrence of explosions
about Raritan Arsenal is to entirely
remove all the explosives to one or
more of the three storage places
established by the war department
ar isolated points in the West. and
to entirely stop the sale of these ex-
plosive materials by the government
to private parties, he declares in a
letter sent today to Secretary of War
Weeks.
He pledges the war department the
support of himself and the other
New Jersey members of congress tl
secure from congress the appropri
alton needed to remove the explo-
sives entirely out of the state.
"The people of this section Of New
Jersey are simply living in a hys-
terical condition." says Senator Edge
in his letter to Weeks, II have reso-
luton after resolution on my desk
from municipal authorities repre-
senting this section of New Jersey.
1t is, as you know. a thickly popu-
lated, industrial. active section of the
STATE and after three distinct explo-
sions in recent months, the popula-
tion feel that they are living over a
seething volcano.
Now, Mr.. Secretary, life itself is
at stake. Can't some way be found
that can assure the people of New
Jersey that the government is NOV
ing and moving with energy and de-
termination ?"
Senator Edges letter was written
after receipt of a communication
from Secretary Weeks making a
statement of facts about the govern
ment's connection with the Nixon
explosion in response to a previous
letter from Edge requesting an IN
vestigation and determination OF the
governments responsibility in the
case.
Secretary Weeks repeats what had
heen stated last week by General
Williams. chief of ordnance, that
the government has no responsibility
for the Nixon explosion because II
occurred in a private plant after the
materials had been sold by the gov
ernment under a contract that MADE
II harmless from any damages that
might occur from their handling OF
the materials.
In spite of this, however, secre-
tary Weeks states. the war depart
ment had gone to conslderaole
lengths to give the purchasers of the
explosives the benefit of its expert
ence in order to avoid unduly' haz-
ardous methods of operation.
The government had obtained
s4a0. 600 from sales of the high ex-
plosives to the Columbia savage
Corporation. the secretary states.
While the handling of the explo-
sives is from their nature dangerous
saws Mr.. Weeks. it is no more dan,
gerous than raw materials and hnai
nroducts. and can be handed WITH
No more danger than dynamite u
nroper precautions and methoos are
psed. He points out that final anal-
vsis shows that each of the eXplo-
sions was caused by inadequate saie-
~ measures brought about by desire
~ economics on production costs.
After giving the subjet conslaer :,
.h1e thoupht." says Senator Edge III
Lis ,etter to Weeks. 81 am convihceu
tbere is only one solution OF the
nrohlem. That is the removal IRON
Raritan Arsenal of all explosives,
f;,lawise . secession of the sale on
he mart of the government to private
interests of any part OF these eA-
nIosives."