The sun., 1917-12-20
SAYSGUN OFFER
WAS IGNORED
Arms Company Could Not In
terest Ordnance Bureau,
Says, Official.
PARLEYED OVER MAKE
Senate Committee Gets Facts
Bearing on Delay in
Preparedness.
PARLEYED OVER MAKE
.spectal pespafeA TO TIE suN.

WASHINGTON, Dec 1S.-Cnwtliingness
on the part OF high officials Of the Gov.
ernment to admit that the United States
during February and March OF this year
was driving straight toward the mael-
strom Of war is the responsible factor
in figuring out the delays incident to
equipping the American overseas force.
This was brought out before the Com
mittee on Military Affairs OF the Senate
to-day when Louis Il. Stoddard. vice.
president Of the Marlin Rockwell Rife
Corporation. was on the stand. His tes-
timony dealt with the shortage Of ma
chine guns, the most marked deficiency
from which the American forces at the
moment are suffering.
Mr.. Stoddard related that early In
March his corporation offered TO begin
the manufacture of machine guns In
large quantity. They manufacture the
Colt automatic rife, an arm of large
utility and high power, although not OF
standard required to meet the
modern demands in automatic arms
manufacture.
Mr.. Stoddard told the committee that
his corporation was willing to proceed
with the manufacture of the Colt make.
and IL the contract they suggested had
been acceptable to the Government there
could have been deliveries to the number
of 10000, more than enough to equip
all the machine gun units OF the new
and old armies with a workable accurate
and useful arm. II not the most modern
or perfect gun OF itB class.
Department "Not Iaterestea."
The suggestion. Mr.. Stoddard said
was made TO Col. J. IL Rice OF tht
ordnance bureau. Col. Rice natly de-
clined even to consider the offer. He
told Mr.. Stoddard that the Department
was not interested.
The witness related that on February
2. tho dav after relations with the Ger
man Government had been broken OFT
he came TO Washington at the solicita'
tion OF Rear Admiral Earl. chief OK tht
bureau OF ordnance.
The Admiral wanted 70 know how
many machine guns we could make.
saId Stoddard. He said that he hat
no approximation and did not know
whether he would get any. but NJ
wanted I, know what VIC could do IT
,he emergency. told n..: we ""'''F
g, busv right away and make machin:
guns.
"Troub,e was already anticipated ano
we had begun the preparation OF Jes
and dies and other machinery Tor tht
/ emergency. Then l walked over 10 tn
War Department 10 call upon zen
crozier. There / found Col. Rice. wht
was In charge OF the machine gun oil
vision at that time. ! introduced myseN
and told him what We had done In thu
way of preparation.
! .'What did you do that for" de
manded Rice.
i 1--WE thought that there was going tf
he trouble and We had better be Gettinf
ready I said.
4 ".Ne,l, there isn't going TO be an!
trouble and we are not interested he re-
Piled.
Il was Just little insistent. and to!t
him that could not see how he coulc
-. fail 10 be interested. and ! told him tha'
} we were prepared TO turn out zoo ma
chine guns day
pougbt same Gun Later.
, Did the War Department ever pur
chase any OF the guns your concern wa'
manufacturing Mr.. Stoddard val
asked.
"Aftcrward the War Department
bought $500 Of the same machine gun'
f.a,t.,u.J ou Srrou.Y Pane