El Nuevo mexicano., 1917-12-20
BUREAU OF
Continued from Page ~

l ~.
England by the war department.
"The change in the rifle was absc
: lutely justified by the facility to us
American ammunition" he said.
Praise Browning Gun
Turning to the machine guns tn
manufacturers said they were mali
ing the new Browning gun "the, fines
ever SEEM
Before receiving orders, Mr.. Ottoi
son said his company began in Apri
to make 5000 new Enfield's on
chance they would be satisfactory
The first large order by written in
structions from General Crosier, h,
said, was on May "a. Then the wit
ness said, Col. Thompson, of the ord
nance bureau, insisted upon new an,
higher standardization which would
have delayed production between two
and six months. General Crosler was
called into conference with the manu-
f~acturers and decided production
should proceed. His firm, OttoisoI
said, began deliveries in August, a
month after signing of contracts
when new orders were received from
Major Woodbury. to push production
regardless of the new Standardization
requirements. His firm, Ottoison
stated, is two months ahead of de.
liveries.
How private manufacturers antici-
pated government needs and spent
millions in preparation. without or
ders, or with informal verbal arrange
ments at most was told by Vice Pres
ident Louis E. Stoddard, of the Mar
lin corporation. In February, Stod-
dard said, on verbal orders from Rear
Admiral Earl 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 in anticipation OF
war.
Were not interested was Colonel
Rice's reply, Mr.. Stoddard said, add
ing: 1T was utterly impossible to
make the ordnance department real
ize the possibilities of war and we
simply folded our tents and went
home"
Before the war began, Stoddard
said, he offered to sell machine guns
to the department for $500 each, but
it was turned down. Since, under or
ders placed, the contract cost was
twice that sun.
Delivery Of the new light Browning
guns for ~airplanes under an order
given by the war department three
weeks ago, is expected to begin this
month, Stoddard said. The new
Browning gun, 9Stoddard declared Sab
solutely is the best ever invented"
The Lewis gun is different from the
Browning, he said, and each has its
particular functions.
IF the war department when asked
for orders last February had given
them" he added, "by today 10000
Colt machine guns could have been
delivered. The ordnance bureau
simply wouldn't listen, wouldn't give
any orders"
Delay in producing the modified En-
field rifle because of the wal depart
ment's negotiations was explained by
Vice President Ottoison, of the Win
chester company. Negotiations began
last April, he said, and contracts
were not let until July IL. Deliveries
began in August.
Ranks Not Social Caste.
In response to a senate resolution
whether there are war depart
ment rules and regulations to prevent
social intercourse between officers
and men of the army, Secretary Baker
wrote Vice President Marshall that
distinctions Of rank in the army imply !
social distinction and are solely
in the interest of military discipline.
Allies Need Guns.
In a statement issued last night
Representative Mccormick said neith-
er France nor Italy had any artillery
to spare.
IF we make guns enough and trans
port them TO Europe before the spring
of 1919 we ought to win the war with
out terrible losses. Without the guns
shall lose the men and may be
lose the war;" he said.
I'VE must build for ourselves and
the allies $4,000 cannons. That is the
estimate of the best military opinion
Europe. But apparently we shall
have produced practically no guns
a year after u declaration of
war"
Manufacture of rifles, ottoison said,
was delayed by the war departments
insistence upon greater interchange
of parts.
1T was not insisted upon finally
he added, ''but all the uncertainty,
the discussions and the change OF
standards resulted in delay probably
Of two months"
Ottoison appeared dislnclined to-
criticise either Col. Thompson orr