The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-12-19
But Companies Did Not Be-
gin Turning Out New
Rifles Until October
ORDNANCE BUREAU
WITHHELD ORDERS
Delaying Changes in Spec
ifications Made After
The War Began !
CBy Associated Prssa.N


Washington, Dec. 10. How
ordnance manufacturers, anticipat-
ing the governments war needs.
spent millions I'm preparations on the
chance that war orders would follow
while the army ordnance bureau re-
FUSED 10 act, was related today by
manufacturers to the senate COM
mlttee conducting the war inquiry.
The manufacturers agreed, how
ever, that the war departments deci-
sion to change the type OF army rife.
even though il involved DELAY in
deliveries, was a wise one, because
II enabled the American army TO use
very superior grade OF ammuni-
tion.
But the efforts of the manufacture
ers, their witnesses said, to get the
ordnance bureau to give it's orders
for guns on the certainty that war
was coming, were futile, and after
the war was started delaying
changes in specifications were made.
Vice President Stoddard, OF the
Marlin Arms corporation, declared
that when he offered to begin work
on guns on the certainty that war
was coming, Colonel Rice, of the
ordnance bureau, told him:
We're not interested"
ut was utterly impossible TO make
the ordnance department realize the
possibilities of war;" said Mr.. Stod-
dard, and we simply folded our
tents and went home"
After the manufacture OF rifles
began, IL was testified. Colonel
Thompson wanted to delay produc-
tion several months by insisting an
new standards. but the manufactur-
ers appealed 70 General CroxipF.
chief Of the bureau. and went ahead
with the work.
Best Machine Gun Made.
All the witnesses agreed that the
new Browning machine gun now be-
ing manufactured for the army is
superior to any other weapon OF its
kind in existence.
A contract with the war depart
ment to produce modified EnfieIds
was not completed until last July
Pres. Henry s. Kimball, OF the
Remington company, testified. IL
was October. he said. before ma
chinery changes could be completed
TO begin output.
Delay in congressional appropria-
tions, Mr.. KimbalI also stated, fur
ther delayed the output. His Arm
hesitated to take a contract in the
absence of definite appropriations.
The new modified rifle and also the
American ammunition, Vice Presi.
dent Tyler Of the same concern, testi-
fed, are regarded as superior to
British types. After war was de-
clared In April, he stated. the wat
department Immediately began
negotiations with them to devote
their factories. engaged on a British
contract for 900, 600 Enhelds, to max
ing the modified American type.
The committee cannot understand
why, with war imminent in March,
no contract was made until July,a
said Senator Hitchcock.
Negotiations Begun Promptly.
Mr.. KimbaIl disclaimed any impli.
cation that appropriations delayed
production and said negotiations By
the war department were promptly
begun. II the department had not
decided 10 modify the British En-
field type, he said. his frm could
have turned out the British type
virtually without any delay, but both
he and Mr.. Tyler said the new AM
erican rifle is superior, largely due
to its ability TO use much better Am
erican cartridges.
Both manufacturers declared II a
very wise move" to adopt the new
type. Notwithstanding the delay In
Senators Hitchcock ana Wads-
worth asked IL it would not have
been better to insure that American,
British and French ammunition
should be interchangeable
III your policy Of preparedness had
been started early enough Ii would
have been possible Mr.. Kimbal
answered, adding that rife machine
cry in the Remington plants was
bought from England BY the war de-
partment
Turning to machine guns. the
said they were maxi
ing the new Browning gun, "ths
finest ever seen"
In February, stoddard said. on
verbal orders from Rear Admiral
Earle. work on 5000 machine guns
was begun. He went to Colonel
Rice at the army ordnance bureau
he said. and offered TO begin work on
guns for the army N anticipation Of
war
'sWe'er not interested" was Col.
onel Rice's reply, Mr.. Stoddard said
adding:
&c was utterly impossible to make
the ordnance department realize the
possibilities Of war and we simply
folded our tents and went home.
Before the war began. EtoddarG
said he offered 20 sell machine guns s
70 the department for $500 each. but
lt was turned down. Since. under
orders placed, the contract cost was
twice that sum.
Delivery Of the new light Brown
ing guns for airplanes under an
order given blythe war department.