The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1917-12-20
ORDNANCE bUnEAU
WAST2L) TINT:
Refused to E.ov2 Until War
Was 0.c:a1Isd.
3 MONTHS DEItY Gil RIFLES
Officials Wouid Give No Orders De-
spite Certainty of Conflict Manufac-
turer Tells Probers.

Washington, Dec. 20.--HOw ord
nance manufacturers, anticipating the
governments war needs spent mi
lions in preparation, Oh tn chance
that war orders would follow, while
the ordnance bureau refurei to act,
was related by manufacturers to the
senate committee conducting the war
inquiry.
The manufa cturerS agreed the war
departments decision to change the
type of army rifle even though it in
volved a delay in deliveries, was wise,
because it enabled the Anne: lean army
to use superior grade OF ammuni-
ton.
But efforts to get the ordnance bu-
reau to give orders for guns on the
certainty that Wa was coming, the
witnesses testified, were futile, and
after the wa was started, delaying
changes in s9ec;fca ions were made.
Louis Stodd9rd, vice president of
the Marlin Arms corporation. said
that when he offered to begin work
on guns, Colonel Rico of the ordnance
bureau. told him Were not inter-
ested"
at was ut+e"7v impossible to make
the ordnance department realize the
possibilities Of wa" said Mr.. Stcd
dard. eve simply folded our tents
and went home"
After the manufacture of rifles be-
ran, It was testified, Colonel Thomp-
son wanted to delay production sew
eral months By insisting on new
standards. The manufacturers appeal
ed to General CroZier. chief of the ord
nance bureau. and went ahead with
the work
All the witnesses agreed the new
Browning machine gun, now beiao
manufactured for the army, is sure@-
Tor to any other weapon of its kind
in existence.
Several months were lost in supp'y
ing rifles, the manufacturers said, as
a result of the war departments de
cision to modify the Enfield type.
Factory machinery changes, they
said, reduced the output of Enfeld5
for England, and production will not
return to maximum until May.
A contract with the war department
to produce modified Enfinlds was no.
completed until July, Henry S. Kim
ball, president of the Remington COM
| pany, testified. 1t was October, he
said, before machinery changes could
be completed to begin output
Delay in congressional appTopria-
lions, Mr. Kimball said, further Ge'ay-
ed the output His firm hesitated to
take a contract in the absence of def
mite apr OPERATIONS.
The new modified rife and the
American ammunition, Mr.. Tyler, vice
president of the same concern. testi-
fed, are regarded superior to British
types After war was declared in
April, he said, the war department
Immediately began negotiations for
them to devote their factories, then
engaged on a British contract for 400,-
900 Enfelds, to making the mcdifei
American type.
"The committee cannot understand
why, with war imminent in March, no
contract was made until JULY" said
Senator Hitchcock, Democrat. Ne
braska.
Delay in producing the modified En-
field rifle, because of the war depart
ment's negotiations, was explained by
Mr.. Otterson, vice president of the
Winchester company. Negotiations
began in April, he said, and contracts
were not let until July u. Deliveries
began in August.
Before receiving orders, Mr.. Otter
son said his company began, in April,
to make 10000 new Enfelds, On a
chance they would be satisfactory.
The first large order by written in
structions from General Crozier, he
said, was on May "a.
Then, the witness said, Colonel
Thompson, of the ordnance bureau.
insisted upon new and higher stand
ardization, which would have delayed
| production between two and six
! months. General Crozier was called
into conference and he decided pro-
| duction should proceed.
His firm. Otterson said, began de-
liveries in August. month after sign
! ing of contracts. When new orders
were received from Major Woodbury.
| to push production, regard ess of the
new standardization requirements.
His firm Oiterson said, is two months
| ahead in deliveries
Manufacture of rifles. Mr.. Otterson
said. was delayed by the war depart
! ment's insistence upCn-greGter inter
changeability of parts.