Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1917-08-03
Government Well Supplied With
Small Arms For Our Soldiers.
New Enfield Type of Gun viii
Be Used by Next Draft-HoW
Geometry Enters Into Modern
Rifle Fire.

TNHERE Is no shortage Of rifles
for the first force of more than
a million men which Is nearly
raised the regular army and
national guard expanded to war
strength and the new draft army of
100000 men. The government is also
In satisfactory position regarding all
types of ammunition.
That the government is ready for the
war. so far as rifles and ammunition
are concerned. is the statement Off
cially authorized by Frank \. Scott as
chairman of the general munitions
board of the Council of National De
Tense Chairman Scott announced that
arrangements have now been made for
the manufacture of the millions of ri
tles and vast quantities of ammunition
that will be required for the arming
OF any larger force TO be put into the
field. The plans of the government
contemplate the raising of a second
army of more than q million men the
second year of the war They will be
armed with the new Enfield type of
American factories for use by the Brit
ish army. The Enfield rifle will he
chambered for the use of the Amer-
can service ammunition, which will be
interchangeable with that of the
Springfield model, the manufacture OF
which latter rife will be continued by
the government
Hoi
cial statement regarding the ride and
ammunition situation
We are in position now to assure
the country that rifles and ammunition
will be ready for American troops as
fast as they can be raised and other
wise prepared for foreign service.
There are on hand more than enough
rifles for the rife carrying men of an
army of approximately a million. and
arrangements have now been made to
provide for the arming OF larger
force and for the reserve which the
wastage under modern war conditions
makes necessary. Plans have been
completed to take advantage Of the
small arms factories developed in our
country as the result of the European
war and convert them TO our use. In
addition the government arsenals are
being expanded. In general il may be
stated that small arms, including am
munition, can be provided for practi-
cally any number Of men that the
country may call to the colors
Use Same Rifle British Have.
Manufacturing facilities for the
Springfield rifle are not adequate TO
supply the number required for the
larger force which the United States
may decide to send abroad and to re-
Mace the wastage of such force For
tunately the existing small arms fac
tories which have been turning ont
quantities of rifles for the British army
are equipped to manufacture the En-
field rifle in more than sufficient num-
Der.
'"The United States Is in very sat
isfactory position so far as all types
of ammunition are concerned The
country has developed during the last
three years great plants for the manu-
facture Of high explosives. small arms
ammunition and field artillery ammu-
nition of various types. 60 develop
ment has been so great that several Of
the belligerent nations have received
the greater part Of their supplies from
us New plants have laen developed
in the interior of the. country, where
they are safe from ans. raiding parties