Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-06-17
BIG GUNS PROBLEM
FOR army EXPERTS
WILL REQUIRE MANY YEARS OF
TIME TO PERFECT BRANCH
OF SERVICE.
LACK OF FIELD GUNS
TO EQUIP EFFICIENT FoKLk
Developments Of European War AZ
centuats Need Of Field Artillery in
Greater Numbers Than Military Elk.
perts NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Of United
States Caught Mapping.
Especial Correspondence

Washington, June lit will be
many months at least before the AM
erican army approaches anywhere near
the perfection of the best Of the Eu-
ropean armies in respect to designs for
I field artillery of the heavy types, and
the making of guns in accordance with
such designs. For many years. Amer
lean army men have been laying en-
phasis on the lack of field guns In suf-
ficient number to equip armies Of the
is as grave as ever because, while the
war department is very slowly accu-
mulating field guns. the developments
of the European war have accentuated
the need of field artillery in greater
numbers than military men generally
believed to be needed before this war
broke out. The vastness of the sup
ply of ammunition necessary In
modern war is another revelation and
the size of the armies demanded is
greater than generally anticipated be-
fore the war opened Inasmuch as
the number of field guns needed for an
army is estimated at three or more per
thousand bayonets the tremendous
size Of the modern armies makes cor
respondingly tremendous demands on
the supply Of field artillery and field
artillery ammunition.
Experts Caught Mapping.
The truth is the ordnance experts or
the American army. like those OF some
other countries. were caught mapping
when the European war broke out so
far as heavy mobile artillery for field
service is concerned. The first stories
that the Germans We're using 42-centi-
meter guns which they were able TO
transport and move about with a ia
cility remarkable under the circum-
stances were not believed here and the
opinion was expressed that the guns
referred to as of this size were really
11-inch howitzers. But developments
have disproven this theory and have
proven that the 4o-centtmeter guns.
which are little over 16 inches. exist
and have been considerably used
The roads In this country are not
the roads Of western Europe and IL
this country is engaged in big war
in the near future and should he In
vaded it is not likely that the 16-inch
gun could be used with success. How
ever. il Is quite plain the american
army needs bigger field guns than 1t
has. This says nothing about the still
worse need of more guns. The Amer
lean 3-inch field gun is undoubtedly
one of the best made. But the largest
field artillery the army nov has in the
service is the 6-inch howitZer.
Experts Disagree.
The experts disagree and the mill
tary observers OF this country abroad
disagree as to the value Of the big
guns but 1t Is generally agreed this
country needs larger field guns OF
greater ranges than 1t now has. 1t
will take long time. however, to build
them in sufficient number to be worth
while. The war department is manu-
facturing for test 7.6-inch howitzer
for test purposes. 1t will have great
range and power. In addition, designs
are being developed for 9.5-inch and
11-inch howitzers. But before such
guns can be developed and manufac-
tured in considerable numbers, much
time will be required. Even under
pressure OF war. 1t would take many
months to manufacture supply OF
such artillery.