El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-06-22
DAILY RIFLE
OUTPUT 794i
Great Strides Made in Its
Manufacture Since
War Began.
= TREDRICIL d HlsKIN.


Washington, D. c., June 22.-The
recent announcement that more than
100000 rifles have been produced in
this country for the use OF the United
States army, viii probably put to rest
for all time the controversy. and the
Misunderstanding Il enEendered,
over the supply OF rifles available for
our troops. In addition 10 these re-
Gently manufactured rifles. We have
in use 100000 Springfield rifles which
were on hand when we entered the
war
As only about half Of the men in an
army carry rifles, we now have
enough Of them TO supply a force OF.
100000 men. including the wastage.
for a year Our average rate OF pro-
ducton is 1881 rifles a day
The truth about the rifle situation
has been obscured by the dust and
fuss OF partisan contention. The pub
lie was told on the one hand that We
had "a broom stick army" and on the
other. that there was a rifle for every
recruit. The real story OF the Amerl-
can rifle in this war is known 20 but
Few.
New Rifle Is Designed.
cessarv 10 80 back 20 the beginning
n the war In Europe. At that time the
British government was Just getting
ready 10 manufacture a new model OF
rifle
"A short time before. the Germans
had discovered that a cartridge with
e pointed bullet would shoot straight
or and farther than one with blunt
ballet Accordingly all the p-incl-
pal governments began manuractur-
Hr q
British tried 20 shoot a pointed bullet
in their regular army 1.-THE -503 En-
field. &c didn't work; the bullet
turned souersaults In the air ana
otherwise misbehaved- BY putting a
little piece OF aluminium in each bull
let. tie British succeeded in restor-
ing the balance OF their missile, so
that the rifle they had would snoJE
g. but this was a makeshift and an
expensive one. Accordingly, they set
20 work and designed a new rifle,
borrowing freely rom our Sprln5-
field model and from the German
rifle
when war broke out IN 1914, the
British had a fine rifle-on paper
They did not have any considerable
quantity Of the new rifles actually
made and only a small supply or lle
old ones The Germans had caught
John Bull with his shirt or so Iar
as rifles were concerned
Immediately the British agents
rushed TO this country with their de-
signs for a new rifle, but altered 10
shoot the old British SOB ammunition
instead Of the 80 as had been IN
tended This had 20 be done in order
that all Of the British rifles would
use the same ammunition, Tor mucn
confusion would be caused u an army
had 10 use different kinds OF am
munition in its rifles.
= ~ rH#
United States were now given con-
tracts for the manufacture OF the new
British Enfield rifle. The lmmeQlet-
result was an unexpected delay me
American manufacturers were COM
neteut. but 30 took much lenEeE 70
evolve a quantity production or riiles
than anyone had realized. II was
nearly a wear and a half before rifles
were shipped from this country 70
England in large enough NUMBERS 70
When the United states entered the
war. We had the great good fortune
10 have already developed this guam
tity production OF rifles IN me M
tsrest Of Great Britain Had IL no
been Tor this fact we PROBABLY " o--u
not have an effective army IN the
field TODAY. But We encountered Ln1
Ear7e difficulty that the British en-
co-atered at the beginning, IN tn4t
we had on hand rifles OF another
British Design Altered.
There were our own regular any
Springfield rifles Of 80 CALDER
had about 100000 OF them on laL--i
and two government arsenals Win
cauacftv 81 about 1900 rifles day
which was enough 10 supply the
normal wastaEe on the t00.o0o-
In other words. we were capa1-e
Of producing the British EnIleld flt+e
in quantity with none on hand, WINE
Ha#H 8
considerable supply on nanl, ~
could not produce Quantities II ~
r-anTfs etured the British rifle ana
ammunition, We would De unaDle p
supply ammunition Lor our pms
fields. and the 100000 rifles OF lnat
make would have 70 60 20 the scrap
Accordingly. the decision vas
-eerhed 70 altar the design or lne
British Enfield so that i would sloot
The American 80 caliber cartridge
It was this change u aesign -
caused all the delay, All me conllo-
versv. and al the charges that ~
were putting a broomstick army mo
Il was decided upon, however, by
The LEADING rifle experts and manu-
facturers OF the United states. ana lls
vision seems 10 be demonstrated ~
the fact that We are now Proc ulLl-7
this American Enfield ritle u guam
titles and are also using 100000 OF
the SprInEfleIds. all Of these rlIlea
shooting the same ammunition
Tendency To Burst.
ELnerts pronounce this new amer
can Enfield one Of the best Of MOD
ern rifles. In test which comprised
the firing Of $4,000 rounds or am
munftion. there we're only three ac-
cidents. and two Of those were due 70
the carelessness OF soldiers in getting
dirt in the muzzles Of their guns
IL appears that there IS tendency
very high pressure 70 which the
chamber is subjected when the piece
Is fired. This pressure Is alslty
mounds 20 the square inch Men are
being very carefully trained In the
use of the arms. and officers are pro-
vidcd with proper cages and tools