The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-04-25
ZONE HE'LL OF A BUSINESS

A LII seven members of the Senate Munitions
d Committee seem to agree that the American
munitions salesman operating in South America
spoke truthfully when he admitted he was seer
tainy in one hell of business"
All seven Senators agree that, almost without
exception the American munitions companies in
vestgated have resorted to what amounts to bribery
to sell their wares to foreign governments
They agree that munitions makers have resented
and in many cases have thwarted efforts to promote
peace and disarmament, in secret defiance of an
nounced national policies.
They agree that munitions representatives have
intermedded with the politics of our government
and with the politics Of foreign governments; that
they have promoted war scares in our own country
IN order to promote huge military appropriations;
that, by colllsve bidding, they have exacted indie
fensibe profits from our government that, espe-
clally In South America, they have conspired with
foreign munitions concerns in pitting one country
against another to boost armament sales, and have
divided markets and exchanged patents aid shared
blood profits and that insiders of our War Navy
Commerce and State Departments have abetted this
malodorous traffic.
All seven Senators agree that something must
be done
But they disagree as to what
A MAJORITY - Senators Nye Clark, Pope and
Bone-thinks that the government should ac~
qure facilities adequate for peacetime construction
of all warshps by the Navy Department, also all
gun forgings, projecties, and armor plate. and of
facilities adequate for the production of powder
rifles, pistols, and machine guns necessary for the
War Department" (The government services al
ready manufacture half the Navy vessels their guns
their rifles their ammunition and naval powder)
The majority thinks also that adequate funds
should be provided for the War Department ito ac-
qure the jigs tools and dies necessary for instala
ton in private plants in time of war; This the ma
jority believes would assure ample equipment in case
of emergency.
The NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. George Vandenberg and
Barbour-contends that naturalization of the NUM-
tions industry would result in higher COSTS would
sacrifice the reliance which the government now has
on private manufacture, and would create "ineyit-
able local. political pressure to maintain these gov
ernment plants at full capacity production regard
less of actual defense needs" 1t recommends, in
stead. rigid and conclusive" control of private mu-
nitions manufacture
There is, we believe, some substance to all of the
minortys arguments, but it is at least doubtful
whether they outweigh the majortys contention
that regulation would prove ineffective in stopping
outrageous profiteering, the peddling of American
military inventions to potential enemies and the sin
lister political -mongering of private munitions
manufacturers here and abroad Certainly the mi
noritys last argument political pressure inherent in
government manufacture sounds rather specious in
view of the unanimous findings of the whole COM
mittee, that private manufacturers make free and
effective use of political pressure in promoting bigger
and more expensive armament programs
UNTIL these rival recommendations are drafted
~ into legislative form we are disposed to with
hold Judgment But it is pertinent to note at this
time that recent nationwide public poll indicated
that the American people to l in favor of gov
eminent munitions manufacture
If they want to win public favor those who favor
continuance of private manufacture had better draft
regulatory bill after the pattern of the perfect pas
ture fence. horse high bull strong and hog tight"
" N