New-York tribune., 1918-05-07
Big Browning Gums
Won't Be Delivered
Before Next Year
Ordnance Chiefs Admit
Failure of Plans and Be-
gin Investigation
Especial Dispatch to The Tribune)

ASpectUt DSpGfcn to me Ir1buTe)
WASHINGTON, May 6. - A serious
hitch has developed in machine gun
, production. 1t is SO serious that the
American army will get none of the
heavy Browning type~ this year De-
liveries were to have begun last month.
War Department officials made these
admissions before the House Military
Affairs Committee to-day At the same
time they reported satisfactory prog
ress on manufacture OF the light
Browning. 1t was said peak produc-
tion probably will be reached next
month. There is every indication that
there will be sufficient light Brownings
Tor all the troops we can put into the
field.
Major General Pcyton c. March,
chief of staff and Brigadier General
Tracy l.. Dickson, of the ordnance de-
partment, were before the committee to
discuss the appropriations estimated
for ordnance.
News of the machine gun delay came
as a great surprise TO the committee
Optimistic reports by Secretary of War
Baker and ordnance department Off
I cias in January and February had led
to the belief that manufacturers were
ready to begin actual production
The new estimates also revealed that
the cost of the Browning gun has in
! creased, the heavy type 25 per cent and
| the light type 6 per cent.
Members of the committee were un-
1 able to find out who or what is re-
sponsble for the delay in making heavy
! guns. The War Department asked that
/ the ordnance bureau be given full op-
portunity to investigate before an in
i quiry is understaken by the committee
his was agreed to-.
/ The impression prevailed that the
/ bureau investigation has been under
/ way for some time, but it is said an
officer was detailed to this task only
yesterday.
/ The investigation is being made at
/ the plant of the Colts Patent Firearms
Manufacturing Company, Hartford
Conn. The. Browning gun is Colt
! product, and this concern built the de-
! sign.
Testimony before the Senate Mil
itary Affairs Committee last December
revealed contracts for fifty thousand
heavy Browning guns and consider
ably larger number of the lighter type.
The Colt Company had contracts for
ten thousand and b. M. w. Hanson said
| deliveries would be started in April.
The Remington Metallic Arms Com
pany Of New York, which has several
/ plants. was to begin delivery on $1,000
heavies in May and complete them by
December, 1918, according to Henry S.
| Kimball. Lewis Stoddard, of the
Marlin Rockwell Corporation, of New
Haven, Conn, sail his company was
to make twenty-five thousand heavics
and expected to begin deliveries this
| spring.
! 1t was recalled to-day that Colonel
Isaac N. Lewis, retired, inventor of the
Lewis machine gun, told the Senate
committee December 22, about the same
time:
"They will not turn out All inter-
changeable Browning machine gun from
any factory in America ten months
/ from to-day"
| Failure to get the heavy Brownings
| on time hns resulted in tho War De-
! part,nent ordering 10000 moro Of the
! Lewis machine guns. that were to be
discarded. Until recently the only
Lewis guns ordered were for airplanes,
but 1t 10 understood, other typos havc
been contracted for.
/ In addition, more vickors and Colt
/ machine guns have boon ordered.
American troops now In France arc
equipped with the Chauchat. a French
gun. Tkoae brigadcd with the British
! probably viii uso tho Lewis. While
eur allies havc besn able to furnish
artillery snd machine guss. It is un-
dcrescod tho time Ia near at hand when
the United StStcn must furnish beth
Ter ito own armies