Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-05
BIZ a Star corresponaeat
xuAst,rNcToN Sent.

fattIA WASHINGTON, sept -.
That ammunition made at Frankfort
Arsenal which has proved defentice was
perfect at the time of manufacture was
declared by Secretary of War Baker today
while testifying before the Senate Mlli'ary
Affairs Committee. He said that the oe'
terioration which results in misnre or "hang
IRE" is due to slow deterioration resulting
from chemical changes.
This Is an entirely new trouble, although
Frankford Arsenal has been making this
type OF small arms ammunition for years
Secretary Baker told the committee Ihere
are several forms of primers used in ann
munition, one of the principal ingredients
Of which is potassium chlorate. Prior to
the outbreak of the European war ma
jcrity of the potassium products were OBJ
tained from Germany After We had ex-
hausted our supply it was necessary 10 oO-
tain an additional supply from other sources.
I'm May our attention was called to the
fact that some of our ammunition made at
Franlsford was resulting in mlsfres or hang
fire. The first report came from the Navy
Department as n result Of ammunition
supplied to the Marine Corps. Subsequent
ly reports came from the Panama Canal
and other places They were so numerous
AS to indicate q general defective char
acter.
started at Frankford. Various theories were
worked on for weeks At one time II was
thought the defect in primer powder was
due to the granulation.
Finally" said Secretary Baker I'VE
discovered what is now believed to be the
cause of the trouble. The potassium
chlorate now available for our use has
been found to contain a small amount OF
potassium brornate. In the presence Of free
sulphur II tends TO leave as one of the
chemical changes some free sulphuric acid.
This probably depends upon the presence OF
nj Sifr1al MI Of nipttt
THE result is that when II is manufact-
ured ammunition functions properly, but
after months it breaks down. Slow, pro-
gressive deterioration results"
Secretary Baker said that the defective
primers were used at Frankford from jan
uary until June of the present year, and
that during that time Frankford produced
one-tenth of the small arms ammunition
made in this country. The other nine
tenths the Secretary said, had not de-
reloped the defect found in the Frankford
primer. As n result Secretary Baker said
primers for the manufacture Of cartridges
at Frankford have been purchased from
private manufacturers since the trouble was
discovered.
Both Secretary Baker and Brigader Cen
eral Crozier, Chief of the Ordnance De-
partment declared that SO far only one
tenth of the ammunition made at Frank
ford during the Suspicious period has
developed the defect. They admitted. how
ever, that In view of the fact the defect
is progressive, all manufactured there may
prove faulty.
Secretary Baker testified that none OF
the ammunition made at Frankford between
January and June has been sent to Europe
since the trouble was discovered.
THE expeditionary force was warned
in August" said Secretary Baker.
The discovery was made in the latter
part of May and you did not send the
warning until August. why did you de-
lay?" asked Senator Chamberlain. OF Ore
gon, chairman Of the Military Committee.
I'VE did not know the particular cause
of the trouble, and thought It might be
confined to a single batch.
There is very large quantity of ammu-
milton every battlefield that does not
explode. This discovery is of great i'm
portance to us because II enables us TO
protect our people before they go into
action"
But you had this intimation long before
Pershing sailed persisted Senator Hitch
cock, of Nebraska.
"Not very long" answered Secretary
Baker.
Had the ammunition been shipped to
France them" asked Senator Hitchcock.
IT am not sure, but We Immediately
stopped shipments"
v When Secretary Baker was asked whether
II was true that the United states had
bought a quantity of ammunition manufac-
tured for England and France which thos.
countries had rejected, he said he had not
heard of 1t.
General Crozier said, THAT is entirely
untrue"
Secretary Baker was asked what could
be done with the defective ammunition
"Two courses are open," he replied I'VE
can either break it UP and get the salvage
or use It for target practice, instructing the
soldiers not to open their gun chambers
until some time after the explosion should
have occurred. We win have ample op-
portunity to use all OF this ammunition for
target practice.
'.As the war goes on Secretary Baker
continued, 'new difficulties will be con-
stantly arising-not this particular trouble,
but new ones. My only hope is that we
may be as fortunate in the future az we
have been in this one--that we discover 1t
before it does damage"