The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1917-12-19
1t May Take Months to Arm the
Men, but When All the Samn.ies
Are Supplied They Will Have
the Best Weapon Invented
MANUFACTURERS TELL
OF DILAToRY TACTICS
Those Responsible for Placing Or
ders for Rifles Did Not Seem to
be in Any Hurry; Change in
Design Is Beneficial.

by Associsted Press
Washington Dee. ~ -- How ord
nance manufacturer. anticipating the
governments war needs. spent millions
in preparations on the chance that
war orders would follow. while the
army ordnance bureau refused to act
was related today by manufacturers 90
the senate committee conducting the
war inquiry
The manufacturers agreed however.
tina, the war departments decision tu
change the typc of arml rife. even
though u involved delay Boo deliveries,
was wisc one. because 30 enabled the
American army to use - very superior
grade ct ammunition
Hut the efforts of the manufactur-
err their Witnesses said "a get the
ordnance bureau To- give its orders for
gunS ou tn" certainty thn, war was
coming were futile ana after the war
was started delaying changes IN ~pcci-
ficHtons were made.
Several months delay IN supplying
rifles private ordnance manuiuctur
crs told the senate military committee
today. resulted la the war depart
meuts decision go modify the Enfield
type Factory machinery changes III"
committee was told reduced the ou,-
pa, of l;nnclds for England. ana pro-
ductiou viii not return 10 maximum
until next May.
a contract with the war department
10 produce modified Enfiolds was not
completed until last July. President
Henry ) kuuboll of the Remington
company testified II was October. he
said before machinery chunscs could
hc completed to begin output
Delay iu congressional apprupria-
uou4 Niuball also stated. further de-
laNcd the outru, Ills firm hcsitutcd
60 take contract in the abNuco "f
ucunitc appropriations
superior to British TNpc-.
The new modified rifle and ilsp m"
American ammunition. Vice President
TYLER OF the same concern testified,
are ,cgurdcd superior to British types.
After war was declared boo April he
stated the war department immediate b
IS began negotiations with them to de-
vote their factories engaged on a
British routracI for 100 .UOO Enfields.
60 make the modified American type.
The committee can not understand
why. with war imminent in March 10
contract was made untu july' said
senator uitchcock
Mr. kimhaIl dtsClaimed any impli-
cation that appropriations delayed
production and said negotiations hN
tho war department were promptly
begun II the department had not de
uided 10 modify the British Enfield
type, ne said his firm could have
turned ONT the British type virtually
without any delay. bat both he and
Mr Tyler said tho new American riff,
is superior largely due 20 rs uhIlt}
To- use much better American cart
ridges.
Both manufacturers declared it a
I .crv wise move 10 adopt the new
It>po. Notwithstanding the delay in pro.
ductiuu
/ "It would have been too bad md "a
great mlstukp tu have retained the old
rifle. compelling continued use OF
much Inferior ammunition said Nh
NmbUl
/ SENATORS Nt,hcock and WadsNorth
asked it l' would NOT huNc been better
: tu insure that American. British and
French ammunition should ho inter-
P ChnupcuuIc
/ Didn't Smr ~oon Enough.
/ M your policy ut prruar"due~s hN
/ been started ury enough % would
/ have been possible Mr. kmhhl an
-wcrod lddiup .nut rifle machinery
iu the Remington phnl w1s bought
. from England hy the wt department
"Th, change lu ,h. utr was p's".
lnt1y Justified by tho facility d" n~'