Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-04-06
GERMANY FEARS
US. SUPERGUN
Details Of New Sixty-Mile
Cannon Guarded From
g Spies
SPECIAL CREWS TRAINED

That Germany fears the new Amer.
lean supergun and is making every
effort TO learn the details OF its manu-.
facture before tho German army
learns something OF the awful effect
OF tho new weapon at first hand across
the trenches in France, became known
here today.
German agents are already under
stood to have made attempts 10 gain
possession of the secrets involved IN
tho manufacture OF the mighty
weapon which Is being turned out at
an Industrial plant somewhere near
Phiiadelphia."
The caliber OF the shell fired by tho
new gun will be at least an inch
larger than the 9.2-incii she'll OF the
seventy-flve milo weapon which has
been bombarding Paris during the
German offensive in Picardy. In i'd
dition TO this, IL will allow greater
mobility ana will fire shells more
often and more continuously than any
weapon now in use In Europe.
Special crews will be used to opcr-
ate the gun and these men have al
ready been picked and are now ur-
dergoing training and preliminary in
struction in firing and repair work,
Only one man may talk officially
about the gun. He Is Samuel NJ. VAL
claln, ordnance expert of the Council
of National Defense. Mr.. Vauciain is
expected in this city today. He at
tended a conference Of munition ohi.
cials In Washington yesterday, after
announcing the fact on Thursday night
that the gun Is under construction.
The greatest advantage OF thls new
gun is It's mobility. American ordnance
experts have learned the celebrated
seventy-fve mile gun Of the Germans
cannot be moved readily, as II Is solidly
imbedded In a concrete emplacement.
The force OF the charge Of explosive
makes II necessary to build the weapon
so that Its angle OF fire cannot bc
raised or lowered.
The new American gun can be
moved from place to place on rails
and also can be moved on It's carriage
base. How this is done Is one OF tho
secrets which may not be revealed.
This advantage said one mill
tary expert yesterday. moro than
Odualizes any advantage In range
which the German gun may possess.
The German super-gun has its range
carefully worked out mathemattcally
and is then empiaced so that It will
fire according 10 the mathematical
calculations. There are no test shots
II the gun IS wrongly emplaced il Is,
for the time being, useless. The Ameri
can gun, however, may alter its shots
and thus can keep in action con-
stantly."
An indication OF the secrecy which
surrounds the construction of the gun
was given by Alba p. johnson. presl-
dent of the Baldwin Locomotive
Works. Mr.. Naucla.I. Us vice presi.
dent in this corporation, Is theo.
retically a subordinate of Mr.. Johu-
son. Yet Mr.. johnson is MT allowed
TO discuss the new gun.
We have great hopes" he said yes
terday. But none of US may talk
about the weapon except AIR. Vauclain.
He will give out all statements"
The factory where this new weapon
~ being built Is probably tho best
guarded In the United States. Every
workman employed Is known TO the
officials in charge Of the work. having
been carefully chosen on the strength
Of his antecedents and record.
This gun Will not be operated on
a tractor, II Is believed. but will be
moved on the heavy railways which
are now being laid in the rear OF the
American lines.