Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-03-01
We're Turning Them.
] Out at the Rate Of 10 5000
a Day--Some Startling
Figures and Facts in Har-
ry Hunts Fourth Great
War Preparation Article.

ny Hunts Fourth Great
War Preparation Article.
(By Harry b. Hunt.)
Washington, March despite all
the development In artillery, machine
guns, airpianes n other special
branches OF warfare, the chief fight
Ing tool Of the army still remains the
1t is the men with the rifles who
hold, the front line trenches, who
go over the top. and who, with bull
let and bayonet, settle the final issue
in every battle.
What. Is Uncle Sans situation to-
day with regard. to this most vital,
branch of. equipment
On January l8 the production Of
'rifles for the United States army
crossed the line of requirements.
Since that date we have not merely
States soldier abroad or In training
camp who is to use 8. rifle. but a re-
serve sufficient to replace any vast
age or loss that would be met in
service. f +,
Rifles are now being turned ont at
approximately 10000 each day, or
more than 10000 each month-sufi-t
army divisions monthly! AS this pro-
duction is much ~reater than the
number of additional soldiers that can,
he trained and transported to France
each month. allowing also a maxi
mum figure for wastage of arms In
.Mse, there need be no further appre-
hension as to inadequate rifle supply.
With more than 100000 rifles
now on hand. and with production
At about 100000 guns monthly. our
supplies of rifles within the next few
months will be such hat it is prob
able a reduction in monthly output
will be made to about 100000 guns.
monthly, in%order that some Of the la
Dor and. materials now used in build,
ing up a constantly increasing sur,
plus may be used in other lines. of.
war work. ~
The standard U. S. army rifle is
the Springfield, acknowledged to be
the equal, If not the superior, of n
army rifle in. the; world. When we en-
tered the war we had on hand &c.,
461 of these runs. Our facilities for
producing them were at the Spring
field armory and the Rock Island ar
senal:ss4s ~ - Y.sy. ,.a.,'
1t was Immediately evident that
these. W. plants could not: supply,
~ina:tilne, the great numbers of new
guns required. New plants would
-have;t be placed on the work. Z
The Winchester and Remington
Arms companies in this country had
been engaged in producing Enfield
rifles for the British armies. They
had developed great resources for
rifle productions, and their contracts
with the British .governm> mt were
virtually complete.
= The question then became whether
we should require the Winchester
and Remington plants to readjust
their plants for the making OF the
Springfield rifles. Or should utilize
the facilities already perfected and
adopt. FOR our use the British type OF
weapon.
The British rifle, ever, is not
the most efficient; tNgs Of CUR: y
uses a. trimmed, cartrf1g 81 which, IN
rapid action when9 the gun gets hot
is liable to cause trouble by jamming'
The Springfield> uses a rimless cart
ridge with which jamming is reduced
to minimum. it..
England herself vas on the point
of changing to the rimless cartridge
when the. war broke out. : !
There was no time then, however,
for her to overhaul the design OF her
gun, which would have necessitated
a large conversion OF equipments. She
had to go ahead with the design al
ready in manufacture. ;
For US to have. stood by the Spring
field model alone would have meant
a delay of at least 10 $lnonths In over
hauling the equipment OF the Rem
ington and winchester plants. Ic
have adopted the British model u
the form England was using, 1t woulo
have necessitated the use by our army
# - A.,@ %,,nnu rf a ~ m II I'm
wise course. -.
Between these, choices lay a middle
course--the adoption Of the British
Enfield, but. with m~odificat'on'
which would enable it to use stand
ard American; 4, ammunition. tn
mango necessary Tor TINS pla i
would take much hsss time to require
Sprinrfields Throughout; and woult
give us q gurifmueh superior to tn
nr This was the course decided upon
While it m~ight.delay the deliver!
\ to troops in training Of b weapo
they ultimately would.Suse,, 1t woul'
not delay the equipment with TIL
hest type Of rifles of any troops w
might be cable to send to France
Half 3, HpiillioRs men in France coult
be ear1ppedi with the: Springfieldt
on hand. and before we could trans
.port that number of troops abroad
the modified. Enfield rifles could b.
got under full production,
Actprdfngly,% the sprinsfield an
m 1aent wsrea continued in the produc
were placsdsAw}1h the winchester an
Remington 3. sPla ants for .the modif's'
Ordnance experts. in figuring gu
rifle requirements for the year.1s1s
- 49, Z = : ,n@-S ~