| Show DANiElS HAS PlAN I ITO TO SAVE MONEY ON NAVY PROGRAM Sec Secretary Says Government Govern Govern- ment ent Can Stop Graft and Economize r RALEIGH N. N C. C OcL Oct 20 What What the navy expects Jo to do toward preventing private manufacturers man man- Js from reaping excessive excessive excessive sive profits on the expenditure I of hundreds hundred of Involved In Inthe Inthe Inthe the administrations administration's national defense program program w was ws s outlined outlined here today by Secretary Dan Daniels els In a speech at the iirth orth Carolina state fair Daniels l eaid a a his annual report to to c congress ss yo recommend legislation to en enable en- en I en-I able the government to equip itself more naval craft make its I own armor plate and greatly extend its Ith manufacture ct r of munitions The government has Invested many millions of dollars in m navy ards sald said the secret secretary ry and Unless unless un un- l less ss this investment investment Is utilized for forn n new w construction much UCh of it is wast wast- ed If f the government Is prepared to con construct t ci na naval ai craft private ship shipbuilding building companies compan es In making contracts contracts con con- trac tracts must compete with government govern govern- ment meat yards This tends to secure competitive price prices and prevent combinations combinations com corn among private corporations to ch charge ge higher higher p prices than conditions conditions condi condi- justify Not only must the Y yards ards dS bp be able to build ships but naval naval establishments establish establish- sh- sh ments meats should be eq equipped to make a portion of pf f all all' munitions of war warf Make Mak Own Ammunition tion In this connection Da Daniels pointed out that t the e government paid 80 cents cents a a- pound to a private ma manufacturer a afew afew afew few years ago to tomake make powder but the navy navy now was was' makl making g it-at it a cost of about 25 cents a pound Torpedoes Torpedoes Torpedoes Tor Tor- and mines he he lie said also were being manufactured by th the nay navy at ata ata ata a a great saving of f money These Tl ese cases could be multiplied multiplIed- fed he he added Do not lot understand me me t to advocate dvo te teany any mo monopoly by the government gov gov- of of-mu of In mu- mu There are Ware many things w we can b buy y from private manufacturers at t reasonable a-reasonable price The Th navy however howver howyer how how- ever yer sho should ld be free to make a large p part rt of f its own munitions If ir private ate concerns charge excessive prices as has som sometimes been the Saving Money It has been ascertained b bv by a a. special special ape ape- cial commission that the navy with witha a modern plant can manufacture ar armor armor ar- ar r- r mor mol plate from to as as against the noncompetitive prices of ol to a a. ton charged in the last contract Experience In Europe teaches that the navy should no longer rely upon private manufacturers ers for projectiles And if congress approves we will erect a large factory factory factory fac fac- tory which will turn out a large product product product prod prod- of Inch fourteen-Inch piercing armor-piercing shells sheIls as well as smaller projectiles This will Insure better shells and ani better competition The Tue secretary particularly Iny dir direct direct- u u ct- ct The Tue secretary particularly Iny u u 1 ed th the attention of Southern farmers to the l lack ck of ships In the American merchant marine to carry their product to those who need it and andare andare andare are willing to pa pay for It What the navy needs and In case of of trouble would need sorely lie he be I added are auxiliaries properly quilt built and equipped with trained Americans Ameri Amen cans cans A merchant marine with foreign foreign foreign for for- eign crews is not an neither for commerce nor defense Five Five- Year Five Year Program Oti buildIng building buna build build- Explaining why a year five-year decided decided de decided de- de ing program m for the navy was upon Mr Daniels said Vise Wise men in Iii and out of the navy believe that the program involving an expenditure of wi will l and ana well proportioned give us a navy far tar better than so large a a. a program it If it should be authorized In piecemeal piecemeal piece piece- meal year by year The program is la be learned I based upon all ali that could by na naval l experts in Europe and our naval statesmen In America 1 Hope that t an International understanding under under- under under-I standing eventually might be be reached by the naval powers was expressed I Iby by the secretary I trust trust he said that this country country coun coun- try tor will take th the initiative and that steps will be taken by a confer conference nc of all the powers to discuss reduction of the heavy cost of the thc army and navy |
