Show i Utah's Senators Not N t I I ij With the People in in I f r X Armor Plate Fight I Ii Why should government money be spent for an armor I S 4 factory n 1 This question in large type appears at the top of a beautifully printed l page page circular addressed U to to the members of congress editors The r that l al came me to sent to copy op copies pies bpi being g newspaper b bore t the No 01 1 over oye it so We we eh have reason on to o f tins this s office e t today day e OY vp believe armor plate trust hust is IS going to carry o on a a sy systematic e campaign of edu education with a s series series-of ries of printed 1 arguments in iti efforts ts' ts to arouse public sentiment against the governments government's plan J to construct construct its mn own plants with which to torn toni make armor for the Unit United d States tates nav navy v The circular is signed by bythe the Bethlehem Steel company Ch Charles I I L Schwab chairman of the board r. r o of directors Eugene Eugene- G. G Grace Grice 1 president 3 As this this' nation unquestionably t has d decided ito to build a great gret navy Y anti and an expensive Ye one as armor armorS i is one of ti the e entering ing nto into th the problem as the senate has gone on rec record rd in favor o the he governments government 8 making its own armor as the house has yet t ote Ol on DIf tJ this i w we believe the circular wi will 1 be of interest t to all A Arn ri ns in full therefore we we 0 reproduce it here No 1 r W- W Why Should IJ Government Money Be Spent r pent for an Armor Factory March 25 1916 Members of Congress t t To the tJ The The senate has passed a bill to spend 11 of the publics public's 4 money to build an armor plant The measure is now before the house houser house r o of representatives senta v f fo for such an expenditure lr There can be only two possible reasons to insufficient cap capacity cit to 1 Fir First t. t That existing armor plants plants' have V r t supply the needs of the country or 1 Second That a g government vernm nt plant would produce armor at a I loweT lowers ert er t price than must be paid to private tc ma manufacturers ufa v The Bethlehem Steel company maintains that neither of these thes Area rea- rea t 4 sons prevails because i First Capacity The Capacity The three existing private armor plants which 4 admittedly efficient have a a. capacity of tons a year TheA The A I f estimated are needs of the navy for the next five years will Call tall for for foro o only 4 tons tont a year year not enough to absorb the possible output of existing i I Implants ts sv has offered to manufacture manu manu- d. d Second Price The Price The Bethlehem Steel company be awarded to f facture third one or such additional quantity as may It it of armor the armor plate late required for the tle contemplated year five naval t program program at a price of for side armor as c compared with the price of now now obtaining The proposed price is is lower than has been paid by the government for more than ten years If the foregoing price is is not satisfactory we wi will I agree to Permit 1 any well wen known firm of chartered chattered public accountants of the federal i J. J trade commission to inventory our plant and make careful estimates 4 of the cost of manufacture with that data in in hand we will meet with with I the secretary of f the navy and guarantee to manufacture man facture armor at a aI I price which will be bc itself quite quito as low as the lowest price price at which the government could possibly make it taking into account all proper s charges The senate bill contemplates a plant to make t tons tans ns a year 3 1 leaving only tons above estimated reeds needs to be made in private privateS and useless for other otner pur per plants having tons ons capacity any S pose The effect of building a government plant will be to 1 kill the y private Industry There would not be enough work for both government govi gov gov- government S i and private plants plant Before the senate committee on naval affairs on January 25 1916 S 'S Rear Admiral Str Strauss chief of the naval bureau of ordnance gave gaves SS s this testimony 1 j Question by Senator Senator- Chilton Admiral what are the advantages ei if f any to the government in having three or more privately r run n plants plants plants' y if the go government could get it its armor plate at a fair figure S S Admiral Strauss Strauss There is no doubt doubt that hav having ng munitions plants of i any Iny sort actually being operated in jn the country is IS a valuable asset t Sen Senator tor Chilton Chilton Would it b be on the whole bett better r for this government govern govern- 1 L m ment nt to have have privately run plants if they would furnish armor at a fair r-jT-fair profit Ad Admiral Straus Strauss If the private firms will furnish armor at a fair profit and will continue to do so under all conditions I 1 see no especial advantage vantage to t the c government iti if in going into th the business Sen Senator tor P Pittman Admiral is is it only a question of price is is that L the only question that is disturbing this government 7 S l Admiral Strauss I think so ti Existing plants are ample for all requirements price p proposition opo I 1 1 which has hat been made assures to the government every pro pro- 5 L' L 4 1 We therefore submit that t the e proposed plan is w wasteful as as an ank j k tt expenditure pc iture and unwise as a policy S BETHLEHEM STEEL COMPANY Charles M. M Schwab Chairman Eugene G. G Grace Grac President f the thc first place the Tillman bill provides for for the the purchase or 01 instruction tl l of an all armor plate plat factory there therefore ore the Bet Bethlehem lehem c rn an sell to Uncle S Sam Sarn n if If the government plan is IS going t to it out of business I For or many years it has been charged that the ari ar armor l or r. r plate plat IO were robbing the American taxpayers y rs by outrageous charges S t ur navy while trailing along about fourth or fifth place among i orld powers acco according ding to the estimate of one o of our gl great eat Jin has aR cost enough gh to construct the best or second second best of in the world fighting s hips ships in III ft N. N NOW V. WHY DOES TIlE THE BETHLEHEM I STEELs STEEL COMPANY C COME l IE FORTH WITH THE PROPOSAL TO CUT CUl THE PRICE OF ARMOR PLATE 30 A TON TONY TONi i it t k Isn't that proposal proof that tl the e charges of holdup were real reul i ded 1 The hc statement de declares la s that the steel c company is s willing to sell if l plate to the government at a fair a profit 5 i If it can sell for a ton and lId STILT STILL J MAKE A FARt FAIR PROFIT w y shouldn't the government be able ble to make mak the s. s same sani le kind of or armor rJ l r for its battleships LESS THE PROFITS PROFIT S The navy is built buil for the protection of the nation as as ai a whole and there e is no reason why every dollar the people spen spend I on it itS S cht should ld not buy a dollars dollar's worth of preparedness It can not be so big corporations are to make private profit and imd outrageously BIG S PROFITS off every b battleship The big steel companies have been een making outrageous pr profits fits at t. t the expense of the nations nation's defense Well Vell are re they called I WAY PAY S 4 It Jt t was to stop this graft that Senator Tillman prepared prepare his bill billS S calling for government made armor plate for or the U. U S. S navy The Democrats voted solidly for the measure in m the senate and nine voted with them Heres Here's the honor roll of Republican senators BORAH of Idaho CLAPP of Minnesota CUMMINS f of I wa GRONNA GEONNA of North Dakota KENYON of Iowa is- is NORRIS of Nebraska POINDEXTER of Washington STERLING of South Dakota and WORKS of California S Do you notice that the names of Utah's statesmen statesmen Recd Reed Smoot an and l George Sutherland are are missing from that list of senators who S l Relieve ij lieve that the the peoples people's s 's m money ney should no longer be wasted when J tl the e nations nation's future is imperiled 1 Without their aid however the American Amerian taxpayers' taxpayers cause was c carried by a vote of oE 58 to 23 in in the senate antI and is is now being considered in in the he house r S |