The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1917-07-25

/ government arsenal at Springfield,
Mass, is not large enough to permit
the manufacture in a reasonably short
time Of that number of rifles. Con-
| gress, though a year or two ago ap-
pealed to for an appropriation where
by the arsenal at Rock Island could
be greatly enlarged. did not heed that
/ appeal. The wonder was the how,
where and when the government could
secure the 100000 rifles needed for
the equipment of the American army.
1t was at time when Mr.. Scott was
giving earnest thought to this matter
that he met Sir Hardman Lever in
! formally and almost by accident The
two men were friends and of course
occasionally met. each having the
highest regard for the other, but upon
! the occasion now referred to one or
the other of them spoke almost by
chance of the contracts which Great
Britain some two years ago entered
into with the proprietors of the three
great munition-making plants. one of
which is known as the Eddystone
plant, near Philadelphia; another Is
the plant Of the Winchester Arms
Company at New Haven, Conn, and
the third the plant OF the Remington
Arms Company. near Utica Sir Hard
man intimated that Great Britain was
now so abundantly qualified through
her own munition plants to manufac-
ture rifles for her army that ii was
no longer needful that she rely upon
| these American contracts for the
manufacture of these arms.
Mr.. Scott instantly saw the oppor-
tunIty thus suddenly offered for meet
ing the emergency which had so
greatly concerned him. He found
on inquiry that Sir Hardman was per-
suaded that Great Britain would
gladly turn over these contracts and
all that they involve to the United
States, whereas, on the other hand.
he was told by Mr.. Scott that there
was no doubt that the government
would as willingly take over these
contracts as Great Britain would will
lingly part with them.
So far the minds of these two men
met. but the next question was how
to determine what Great Britains
contracts represented in money to her.
so that basis for making a bargain
could thereby be established. The
Munitions Board brought into its SER
vice one Of the highly authoritative
NOt OIL the
States. This company was commits
stoned to take an inventory of each
of the plants. covering, of course,
only those departments Of the plants
which represented the English con-
tracts. 1t was a work proportionate
in the magnitude of its details to some
Of the other great undertakings which
are now under way whereby the gov
eminent can be in all ways thoroughly
prepared to carry on the war
There were, for instance, approx
mately 1900 separate pieces of ma
chinery and like number of various
other incidental apparatus essential
to the manufacture of rifles. The work.
however, was speedily completed so
that it was possible to make a reason
able computation of cost and of the
value Of the property. The auditing
company found that this investment
represented an expenditure by Great
Britain of about O.OOo, 900, which was
divided proportionately among the
three munition plants.
The agreement was made that s., OOO,-
900 should be struck OF from this
so, 000, 900, since that amount, 1t was
assumed. would fairly represent the
cost to Great Britain OF the organiza-
ton of that contract service and vari-
GUS incidentals.
That left $4,000, 900, and without any
haggling in the way Of bargaining,
but instead with prompt acceptance
Of the suggestion. the $1S,OOo,O 900 was
divided into two parts, SO that the
United States promised, provided Con-
gress granted the authority. to pay
Great Britain 100000.
Thus, in a short time and in a most
unexpected manner. the government
has secured facilities whereby It will
be possible to manufacture within a
reasonable time 100000 rifles for the
American army. In addition to that
the government secures through this
purchase all of the machinery, some
of which is the best the manufacture
ers have been able to make, and all Of
which is good. We have in this way
more than tripled the rife manufac-
turing capacity Of the United States.
Yesterday the final inspection of
the Remington plant at Utica was
made, earlier inspections having been
made OF the Winchester plant and Of
the Eddystone plant. This Remington
inspection, however, Is only a neces-
sary formality. The Munitions Board,
some of whose representatives were
heard the other day by one of the
committees Of Congress, were ready
to say. and in fact did say, in a ave
hours hearing. to the committee that
as soon as an appropriation of s., 0oo,-
900 is available, the government will
take over these plants, with the as