The sun., 1917-09-18
BADPRIMERS
UP CHIEFS
OF ORDNANCE
Dent Committee Hears Dis
caded and Faulty For
mula Was Used.
EXPERTS GAVE WARNING
FrankfOrd Arsenal Head OBJ
jectcd to Method Rejected in
Most Munitions Plants.
Special Despatch 20 TIE scS.


WASHINGTON. Sept. 17.-By insisting
upon its private formula for ammunition
primers containing free sulphur the Ord
nance Department went contrary to the
expert technical opinion of the world,
expressed and emphasized even before
primer showed UP late last spring This
was one of the outstanding features of
the testimony of Col George Montgom-
cry. L. s. A.. commandant Of the Frank
ford Arsenal, before the Dent investigat-
ing committee to-day.
Col. MONTGOMERY indicated clearly that
he himself was convinced that the chem
ical composition insisted upon by the
Ordnance Department was inferior to
formule used by private manufacturing
concerns. but that the pressure In the
Department behind its formula was
too pronounced to permit drastic
change.
After saying that the Frankford Ar
senal and one cartridge company were
the only concerns using a primer con-
tanning free sulphur. Col. Montgomery
said.
II felt that the technical opinion of
the world was against us
In August, 1916. he testified, the head
chemist Of one OF the largest manufac-
turers OF explosives in the world con-
WINGED him that the sulphur primer was
| not as good as others I'm use.
but all our people believed in it," ex-
planned the witness. land I was anxious
to be able to prove my contention be-
yond cavil before taking such drastic
"a aCfipp tho of bo forp,,,l,
Faulty Formula !. Biamed.
The effect of the testimony OF Col
Montgomery, whose statement was sup
| plemented by other ordnance experts.
was to fix responsibility for the defec-
| tive ammunition primers rather on the
tnsistence Of the Ordnance Department
upon . certain formula discarded by
other manufacturers than on the pres
| ence Of chemical condition which
| could not be foreseen.
| The Ordnance Department has in
sisted that the responsibility cannot be
| fixed upon any individual or a group OF
| officers because the presence of impur-
| ties In one OF the ingredients could not
| be guarded against.
| II was indicated to-day. however. that
| if the Ordnance Department had not
clung to the formula which other and
| successful manufacturers universally re-
! jected as inferior the presence Of this
impurity would not have vtiated thr
| functioning of the primer.
| II was brought out that when the
defects were discovered to he general
| the Ordnance Department not only pur-
| chased or arranged for the purchase
from the Winchester Arms Company
Of 55,000.000 primers made with "A diff
ferent formula butte also adopted the
| formula used by this company
While the free sulphur formula has
| been used in the manufacture of initial
primers-the primers through which the
| shell is discharged from the gun-for
| artillery ammunition, the chemical de-
feet has not lessened the efficiency OF
the shell because quick burning black
| powder Is used to back up the primer
| in artillery ammunition, whereas In
small arms ammunition the slow burn.
ing smokeless powder must be ignited
Representative Shallenberger engaged
the witness in a lengthy discussion Of
the operating conditions at Frankfort
Arsenal.
Until August. 1916. according to Col
Montgomery, Frankford Arsenal was
forced to operate at about four-nnths OF
a normal eight hour day capacity Wher
increased appropriations were made ar
attempt was made to go into a two
shift basis
This developed the lack Of availabl,
skilled labor. great confusion over oper
ating the two shifts and much lost mo-
ton through lack of an elastic organiza
ton.
"If Frankford Arsenal had been main
tanned at full eight hour capacity W,
would have discovered lots Of veal
signs and remedied them before actua
war took place" said Col. Montgomery
The judgment of Col. Montgomer,
clashed sharply with that of big privat,
manufacturers of arms and ammunition
quoted by Mr.. Shallenberger as to tn,
wisdom and efficiency Of operating biz
plants at full twenty or twenty-fou
hour capacity.