New-York tribune., 1917-12-26
Connecticut
Arms Plants
ClosingDown
Remington Shuts Up for 10
Days-Winchester at
Half Its Capacity

NEW HAVEN, Dec. 25.-Munitions
plants in Connecticut, "the arsenal OF
America" are slowing down.
The Remington Arms Company,
which closed its doors at noon on Sat
urday, will be idle in most of its rifle
departments until January 2, throwing
10000 workmen out of employment
until that date.
TIE Winchester Repeating Arms
| Company has only about half the force
| at work that manned its shops year
ago.
not using its capacity equipment for
turning out machine guns.
Baker May Relieve Situation
! Reports were current that the hesi-
! tation of the Ordnance Bureau con-
cerning the type of gun it wanted, the
restrictions it placed upon the manu-
| facture of the rechambered Enfield
| that was finally selected, and dearth
| Of government contracts to take the
place of the lapsing Russian contracts
| were responsible for the pause in war
work.
Secretary Baker has promised to re-
| trieve the situation by placing govern
| ment orders in the idle factories as
soon as possible. Representative John
| o. Tilson, of Connecticut, referred
! bluntlv TO the reported lack of con-
tracts tonight in the following inter-
view in which he urged the utmost
haste in arming our troops;
"What we must do is speed up, speed
I'D and then speed up some more both
| in the manufacture of artillery and
1 rifles. / am very much surprised that
| the War Department is slowing up on
rifles. There is really no reason that l
can see for such an action at this time.
"The United States has not rifles
| enough for its army to go around
/ There isn't one apiece. nave oeen
preaching this doctrine of ammunition
preparedness for several years. IL
! should have been obvious to any one
in touch with the war situation that
we would have to get ready, and quick
| ". I hammered at it in vain. | told
/ them how long it would take to get the
rifles. but what what happened was
brought out at the hearings last week.
Eouipped to Make Enfield Gun
"Our priyate manufacturers now have
tho eouipment for making the modified
Fnfeld gun. don't understand why
tho War Department does not let these
factories 20 ahead and make as many
OF them as possible at once. There IS
inst one explanation, and that Is that
we havn't any of the big guns to go
along with the rifles.
"It ia better, though, to make the
rifles right away with the equipment
that Great Britain paid our private
ynanufacturers for, for we have got 70
have AZ least rife for every man who
goes TO war. If we have a million men
across the sea there should be 1900
600 guns over there for them right
away. and 100000 ready to be shipped I"
ave have about 100000 Springfield
Guns The factories are ahead OF their
orders and are slowing up, condition
/ ~ affairs that I can't understand in
time of war. Il certainly does not seem
| Ia me the War Department is doing the
right thing. There's no use in getting
a lot of men trained for lighters and
1 then iail to provide them with
weapons"
Shortage of Gun Stock
A statement by the yice-president OF
| the Winchester company explains that
a variety of causes lies behind the al
most complete closing of the plant,
among them being the necessity for
Encouragement of departments and
installation Of machinery for the
Browning machine gun" Other causes
are a shortage in gun stock, which,
the official says, would otherwise have
cauoed a breakdown" later and the
suspension of work on rifles ordered
by the Russian government.
When the plant reopens the depart
ment devoted TO the Russian contracts
will be utilized solely for the United
States government. The number OF
workmen employed at the plant will
be increased by 5000. During the idle
period an inventory will be taken.