The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-15
COMPLETES HISTORY OF THE
FAMOUS LIBERTY MOTOR
Possible Now to Tell of the Great Work Done by the
Packard Motor Car Company for
the Government

20 be welded we're OF different thicknesses
and welding temperatures which served for
ono part burned the other. This difficulty
was finally overcome by raising on the
heavier cylinder thin hanges OF metal the
same thickness as the outer Jacket. These
improvements we're made the subject OF
Given the complete drawings of Liberty
Motor cylinder in July, 1917. no other man
lnacuirer knew how TO build the part with
out the Packard methods and instruction
Had an American airplane with Liberty
the enemy might have seen the superiority
of its cylinder development, yet have been
quite unable to dMPiTste rs ssv epas ronths
beforo the close Of the war was found 10
have .spproximsted some of the improve
men,s previously developed i'll the hrst Pack
ard pl'craft motors. But where American
manufacturing methods had combined hsht
strong parts by new processes the German
copies Of those parts were inferior.
The Liberty Motor, when finally developed
for gu eiitity production, contained more than
seventy distinct superior features which had
been dow ieoped and proved IN actual practice
in the Packard aircraft motors before the
Liberty Motor was adopted by our Govern
ment. Tie real triumph of the IAoet Motor
was not only the addition of improvements
in design at the Ave day conference. but also
IN the working out Of design lending itself
to standa rdized quantity production so that
II could be buih in many different factories.
Mr. Vincena's services were considered so
necessary by the Aircraft Production Board
that he was borrowed from his company for
sixty days This was extended 10 ninety
days Then the War Department offered him
MAJORS commission which he accepted.
| subsequently, he was made Lieutenant
! Colonel, As an Army officer Colonel Vincent
not not, only gave up salary Of $500 yearly
! bonuses but through u technicslity became
! liable to prosecution for transacting business
as a Government official with a corporation
/ in which he held small amount of stock
II il the custom OF the Packard Motor
Car Car. COMPANY to pay bonuses Of stock TO ef,
| was commissioned Major. and severed his
connection with the company az vice .presi-
dent, he owned fo,T-tenths OF one per cent
Of the torsal Packard stock. In the building
| of The firtt wooden model for Congress and
the original eleven working Liberty Motors.
Company 10 the work. Compensation TO the
| amount OF $2ie.1aJ..N ade TO the COM
many OUT OF Congressional appropriation.
This did not cover actual cost of work. BY
reducing Overhead charges. however. the
company h3rei book profit OF l2is per
, cent, s.Ass4-;s: or this supposed profit 90
! Federal income tax. OF the sl3TS6.sl remain.
ing, If distributed as dividends TO the Pack
owner of four-tenths Of one per cent. OF
| Packard stock would have been 1914.
When Justice Hughes investigated aircraft
production for the Government he discov-
J cred tf4s technical irreguarity. He stated
no fraud had been committed against the
Government. yet under the complex safe.
guards thrown around Government purcha ses
there had been technical violation OF the
Law. and it was Justice liuGhes's business tC
In tho neighborhood OF half million dol
lars had been spent by the company TO carry
out changes in the Liberty Motor for tn,
Government. No compensation has beer
, made by the Government for this work Tho
company has been required to manu- tact urt
Liberty Motors at the same price as Other
concerns although obviously its costs shoulC
he higher because II has borne this heavy
development expense. These facts are given
: not complalnngly. but as informatio which
/ belongs to the American people in connec
l ton with war service to their Government
! Our Government throughout the war ha
\ favored taking a highly special Zed and pri
vate product from the concern which has de
! velUped it. and arranging for manufacture
n number of plants that there may b,
40 suspicion OF monopoly discrimination
Technical men will recognize that, wit
complete specifications drawn up for a com
Alex product like the Liberty Motor. develop
. ia ant of quantity production methods coul'
ba 1t be carried out by one organization. ant
tin II an organization with extensive expert
. eu @. facilities and skilled workers
= 1his may be illustrated by comparing tn