New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1918-05-09
field GUN OUTPUT
REPORTED At ZERO
Inquiry Committee Compares 1t
to Airplane Production Status

OF the production OF field artillery or
the United States army by a sub-com-
mittee Of the Senate Military Affairs
committee has disclosed a condition
| which. to quote one member of the
sub committee lis comparable only to
, the failure of the aircraft program
The sub committee, or which, Sena-
tor Hitchcock of Nebraska is chair
man, has been at work quietly foT
nearly two weeks. Members say it
has discovered that production to date
Of the most important three pieces Of
field artillery--the % inch hcaN y
guns, inch howitzcrs, and inch
! hoWitzers-had been "pitifulIy small"
In tho case of the 90 guns this
| heaviest weapon with which the
American army is to be provided, the
sub committee has been told that not
one Of these pieces will be delivered In
time to be of use in France this year.
With regard to the others, deliveries
would be so small this year. sub-com-
mittee members said. as to be neglg-
BILE in figuring the means at the
armys disposal for turning the tide
against Germany.
The investigation was inspired part
ly by the knowledge that a huge ex-
pansion was to be proposed In the
American army, and a desire to learn
how we'll equipped the ordnance de-
partm ent was to meet the demand for
more field artillery. and partly by
disturbing reports reaching various.
m members of the committee that things
were not progressing favorably in pro-
duction of artillery.
These reports were backed to some
extent at recent conferences of COM
mittee members with the war council
conference frank statements concern
ing ordnance filed committee men,
hers with gloom. The statements
made by the war council members did
not coincide with the optimistic view
of Secretary Baker, repeated often.
that things are coming along well'' In
the manufacture of ordnance.
Allcge Months Wasted.
the outstanding fact was that months
we're wasted in absolutely futile at
tenpts by Am erican ordnance ex-
l,erts in trying to improve details of
british, French, and Italian gun car
rlages. The carriages being made to-
day, it was said, were essentially the
British. French and Italian designs.
american ingenuity, even at the sac
ijiice of months of precious time,
failed to improve them sufficiently to
warrant adoption of the Am orican
model. Therefore, the ordnance de-
/ artment finally went back to the
European plans, upon which 1t might
have begun manufacturing shortly
after the United States got into the
ar in April, 1917.
American tools, jigs, and dies were
Of obsolete types, unsuited to modern
he h-cn mi
cording to members. The ordnance
department had large appropria-
ton for making jigs, tools and dies,
but apparently did not have the new
ores ready in time.
The most disturbing feature Of the
whole situation, sub committee men,
l'ers said, was the fear that with
the American army greatly expanded
the Allies might not be able to fill
their agreement to provide General
IershinSs armies with all the field
artillery needed this year.
The committee has not yet COM
rleted it's work, which will go into
every angle of the manufacture Of
light and heavy ordnance. The man
ufacture of the American adaptation
Of the French 75s, the sub-commit-
tee has been informed. was proceed
ing we'll, and within n few months
these guns, which are practically the
American thrce-inch field piece, will
| g delivered in quantity.
Delay on Quantity Manufacturer.
Long delay was caused in beginning
quantity manufa cture Of these weap-
ons because the French carriage
conceded to be one OF the best in eX-
istence, did not meet the unqualified
approval of American experts. France
had given up all her secrets this
carriage and its brakc-secrets she
had guarded jealousy for years from
every nation-and America tried to
improve on this design, and was forced
! finally to admit failure.
The situation on Browning machine
guns, about which warm controversy
had ragged, was stated TO be fair. Con-
siderable delay was occasioned by
changes neceSsitatcd by instructions
from America ordnance experts with
the army in France. These changes
having been made. and better ia cilities
for production Of heavy Brownings is
said to be approaching a stage which
will soon admit of important ship
ments to the American forces.
1T will be late this year, however,
before production will attain point
which will relieve the Allies of the
NECESSITY of furnishing heavy machine
guns to General Pershing. The exact
date of real quantity production de-.
ponds somewhat on material condi-
! tons in this country, but by the most
| optimistic estimates 1t will be so lato
| that the heavy BrowninGS will not
| prove themselves in this Summers
I campaign
The military committee has not vet
| decided its procedure on the aircraft
| inquiry Efforts are being made in
| some quarters to have the investiga