Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-12-19
Long Delay in Supplying
Rifles For Army Due to
Efforts to Improve Guns
GUN MANUFACTURERS
OFFER TESTIMONY
Officials Of Remington and Marlin Fac
tories Appear Before Senate Military
Committee Invest floating Prspara-
tions for War-Nsw Browning Ma
chine Gun, to BE Used by American
Army, Declared "Finest Ever 6esn."'

nance manufacturers anticipating the
governments war needs, spent mill
lions in the preparation in the chance
that war orders would follow. while the
army ornance bureau refused to act,
was related today by manufacturers
to the senate committee conducting the
inquiry.
The manufacturers. however, agreed
that the determination Of the depart
ment to change the type was a wise
move.
But-the efforts Of the manufacturers,
their witnesses said, to get the ord
nance bureau to give orders for guns
were futile and after the war was
started, delaying changes in specifica-
tions were made. =
Vice President Stoddard, Of the Mar
lin 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:
Were not Interested"
"It was utterly impossible to make
the ordnance department realize the
possibilities Of war; said Mr.. Stoddard,
'.and we simply folded our tents and
went home" s3. sS..s
After the manufacture OF rifles be-
gan, it was testified, Colonel Thompson
wanted to delay production several
months by insisting on new standards,
but the manufacturers appealed to
General .Crozier and went ahead with
the work.
All agreed that the new Browning
machine gun, now being manufactured
for the army, is the best yet made.
Washington, Dec. 10. - Several
months delay in supplying rifles, pri-
vate ordnance manufacturers told the
senate military committee today, re-
suited from the war departments de-
cision to modify the Enfield's type.
Factory machinery changes, the COM
mittee was told, reduced the output Of
Enfields for England and the produc-
tion will not reach the maximum until
next May.
According to President Kimball. Of
the Remington company, it was Octo-
Der before machinery changes could
be made to meet the requirements.
The new modified rifle and also the
American ammunition, Vice President
Tyler, of the same concern, testified,
are regarded superior to British types.
After war was declared in April the
war department Immediately negoti-
ated for the use Of the factories to
make the modified American type Of
Enfield.
Change Declared "vNise Move.r
The committee can not understand
why no contract was made until July"
said Senator Hitchcock.
Mr.. Kimball disclaimed negotiations
by the war department were not
begun. If the department had
not decided to modify the British En-
field type his firm could have turned
out the British Enfield without delay.
But both he and his brother officials
said the American type was superior
to the English type. and declared it a
wise move" to adopt the new type.
1T would have been mistake to
have retained the old rifle" said Mr..
Browning Gun "Finsst Ever"
Senator's Hitchcock and Wadsworth
asked II it would not have been better
II American, British and French am
munition had been. Interchangeable.
ST your policy Of preparedness had
been started earlier IT would have been
Mr.. Kimball declared.
The change in the rifle was abso-
lutely justified by the facility to use
the much superior American ammuni-
tion, fhe said. q; y Y5 ~ 5, Z ;..-s4ss4ssz IS
Turning to machine guns the manu-
eacturers said they were meking the
new Browning gun "the finest ever
seen" ~ f7-s
Manufaetursrs Anticipate Needs.
: How manufacturers anticipated gov
needs and spent millions, was
told by Vice President Stoddard, OF
the Marlin Corporation.
In February, Stoddard said, on ver-
bal orders from Rear Admiral Earle,
work on 5000 machine guns was be-
gun. He went to Colonel Rice, at the
army ordnance bureau. he said. and Of !.
Tered to begin work on machine guns
In anticipation OF war. 3 @ .3 81. IL
'sWe are not interested" was the re-
ply Of Colonel Rice. ss. s2
Mr.. Stoddard said he offered to sell
machine gums to the department FOR
$500 each, prior TO the declaration Of
war Since then the contrsct has been
twice that sum. i. n .. s: +,
The ner browning run. Nr. stoddard