New Britain herald., 1918-04-08
New Britain Workers
Unearth Scheme to
Prevent Completion
Cement Tubes Empty

ana OO)eCrS OF Tue AlleS nave
adopted a new tack to hinder
and render ineffective the use
of gas masks for the soldiers
in Flanders, but the watch
fulness Of New Britain
manufacturers and the wo-
men of New Britain will de-
feat them. Discovery has
been made that tubes, sup
posed to contain cement for
use in the assembly of gas
masks and which are shipped
abroad with the masks, con-
tain only air. At the Russell
& Erwin division Of the
American Hardware cor
poration, where assembly and
inspection work on gas masks
has been in progress for some
time, at least 800 untitled
tubes were found in one con-
signment for the masks. AS
a result of the discovery extra
precautions are being taken
with the inspections.
It was several days ago that the
discovery of the untitled tubes was
do
lacks confirmation because of the gov
ernment restrictions on disclosures re.
lating to war work the defect was
found in this city and the fact was ut
once transmitted to the ordnance de-
partment at Washington and by that
department to the department of JUS
tice. @a rrs
The contract for the cement filled
tubes is a separate item in gas mask
work and Is held by a firm outside
of Connecticut. Efforts made to as
certain the name of the concern hav-
ing this contract have failed.
Local manufactures understand that
the process in the making of the
cement tubes is to fill them with tho
liquid cement, or glue, as it is some-
times called, by air pressure. An en-
emy could easily shut off the flow OF
compressed air, making the finish tube
bear all the resemblance Of a filed
tube. We're 1t not for the fact that
so many untitled tubes were found tho
occurrence might be attributed to an
accident Another explanation Of
fered is that the cement reservoir
might be exha usted and if the opera
tor was not watchful the mechanical
filling would go on. A theory is ad-
vanced by some that the air-f1lIed
tubes were mixed into the consignment
by enemy operators.
The cement tubes are a vitalIy i'm
portant part of the gas mask assembly,
The cement is used to seal the mouth
piece to the rubber tubing that leads
from the air chamber. Without the
cement to seal the piece the mask
would be useless. One tube is provided
with every gas mask.
Mysterious Woman
Authorities at one of the factories
in the city are much concerned over
the trespass of a woman found in the
plant on Saturday afternoon. Soon
after the l o'clock whistle sounded a
strange woman was found in the gas
mask room in the factory. She was
so stylishly dressed and had such a
pleasing appearance that the fore
man in the department demanded to
know what business she had there
and how she gained admission. The
woman smiled pleasantly and said
that she was selling patriotic buttons
and she said she came through the
main office. She was asked to show
the buttons and when she opened a
small handbag revealed only a dozen
nrtn 11, e+k,o
went to the factory office and after a
few questions was permitted to de-
part
Since the discovery in connection
with the gas masks there is a suspi-
Cion that the woman might be a for
eign agent looking AROUND to see the
scope Of the work. Fhe peculiar fea-
lures of the woma1ts visit are tha
she was able to pass right through
the factory office and that she passed
through various departments aud
went directly to the gas mask room,
without starting her sales in the
rooms through which she went
Secret Service Agents Here.
The department of justice is bend
ing every effort to defeat the aims o.
enemies in the American war pro
duction army and to that end has 6
number of women agents in its en-
ploy. Several women secret service
operators are employed here
Additional Precautions.
In consequence of the discovery O
the untitled cement tubes the govern
ment has issued special orders re
Continued on Eleventh Paee) u