The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-03-24

, for the manufacture of rifles at $9, ,0O0, ,009 early in the war was one of the big gest bargains ever obtained by any government. One of these plants is in Bridgeport, Conn.
 SAVED MANY MILLIONS This machinery is estimated by .ex- perts to have cost s16,O0O,oOo and 1t is declared by those same experts that it cold not be had today at a cost of $2O,- 0V0,oVO if this government had to build | the machinery anew, and 1t would take
 months and perhaps years to do 1t. l Great Britain owned this machinery when the United States entered the war. She had had these plants built up to make rifles for her armies early in the war. Eventually the British
 home production of rifles increased suf- ficiently to provide for the British ar mics needs. and 1t was decided to move the rifle making machinery from the American plants to Canada or the British Isles.
 This was prevented when the war de- partment decided that 1t needed the British-owned rifle machinery for equip ping the American armies, and A9.eOO,- coo was paid to the British for the out fit. When Congress heard about this deal there was tremendous howl last fall, but it Is declared by men in the government SeFNlCe nctc WuO VoShS AO know that the deal will stand the acid test of examination by accountants who could demonstrate the great value of tho property thus acquired by Uncle Sam, leaving out of consideration the vital element of time saved, that would have been required to build simiVar plants for this government. It is be- lieved that the deal will also stand tho test of the people of America, who ~1.-s. F,,x, 1r fnr rrI war, and who will want to know now or hereafter how their billions are being expended.
 The criticism of the purchase of the British rifle-making plants by this gov ernment has been no more marked than the criticism of the war departments $ policy in the matter of rifles, yet the latter is said to have better defense perhaps, than the former has. That de- fense is stated in the first lines of this letter, namely, that the American sol dier has the best rifle and the best cart ridge that are used by any nations army in the world.
 This gun is said by experts to shoot straighter and hit harder than and other military rifle. American bullets are piercing German armor, according to dis patches from the battle front. This new army rifle has the back sight affixed close to the eye of the shooter. which makes tremendously for accuracy Of shooting, so that the men of the nation al army are making wonderful records at target practice every day. Men who never shot a rifle before are hitting the bullseye right along, according to reports received at the war department.
 The accuracy of this weapon is de clared to be matched by it's freedom from tanning owing to the rimless cartridge that it shoots, and the shape of the chamber into which the cartridge fits. Furthermore, the shape and location or the belt that is used in firing are such that it can be separated most rapidly. Then, there is the fact of great de- gree of interchangeability of parts Of the new rifle, which makes for ready repair and maintenance
 BEST IN ITS CLASS
 Taking all in all, the new rifle is far and away the best weapon in it's class Perhaps it's most important feature is it's capacity for rapid use. which is esti- mated as from 30 per cent to 50 per cent greater than that of other military rifles, especially the German rifle. This means that two American soldiers can fire at least as many bullets in given length of time as three men could using inferior rifles. In other words, consider
  American rifle, two American soldiers are equal to three German soldiers.
 This point should be considered not only from the standpoint of mere rapid ity of firing bullets at the enemy but means that only two American soldiers need be sent lover there' to do the work that three would be required to do using inferior weapons. One less man out of every three will have to be fed, clothed, equipped. supplied, insured and transported than if other rifles were used. The saving in shipping tonnage transportation troubles. production, ex- pense, etc., is as is to 3. When mill lions of men, millions of money, thou sands of ships, hundreds of thousands or tons of food, clothing and equipment are considered, some idea of the magnitude of the advantage gained by Uncle Sam with his new army rifle may be formed.
 Nor is this all theory, as has been charged by some senatorial investigators and others. It is a fact that the daiiy production of the new rifles has run up to 13,000: that the procurement or rifles by the United States army has mounted to as high as 72,000 a week; that hun dreds of thousands of rifles have been made. War department figures show this.
 It is stated further than the standard ization and interchangeability of parts has enabled men working in gangs in the government arms factories assembling the army rifles to increase their average out put from IS to 40 per day. Wages paid on piece work in this line of production have run as high as ST, it is said.
 Colonel Roosevelt has been quoted Tn the press as saying that the American capacity for manufacturing rifles IS Al, 00O per day. AS matter of fact. ord nance experts say, the actual capacity is only half that, and the actual prod'ic- tion achieved by the war department IS declared to be very creditable portion of that half. allowing for arms rejected on inspection. The production includes some of the Springfield model army rifle, which shoots the same cartridge as the new army rifle. It also includes some rifles contracted for by the Russian gov ernment early in the war and which are being taken over by this government and user for training purpose.
 PRODUCTION SUFFICIENT
 The production of army rifles has caught up with the demand, ordnance officers say. and until more men are drafted and to be equipped, 1t is under stood that a certain portion of the rifle manufacturing capacity has been con verted to the production of the Browning machine gun and of automatic pistols with which the American armies are be- ing equipped. The Browning gun, by the way, is said by ordnance experts and others to be another example where