Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-10-05

The EddyStoue rifle plant, largest in
the world is 100000 rifles behind its
program because of the lack of housing
for war workers
These figures were made public to-
day aa the testimony of Major w \.
Garrett assistant manager of the Eddy
stone plant, and Major Hayden Aymes.
chief Of the small arms division of the
War Department. given week ago
before the House Committee on Public
Grounds and Buildings, in Washington.
In making public their testimony,
Chairman clark. of the committee. an
nounCed that next Tuesday he would re-
port to the House a bill embodying esti-
mates agg"egating Si94,6O7.OO0 for
housing for the next six months
Major Garrett said today that the
'Eddystone plant had been unable to hold
its workers because they could get good
housing facilities by working for the
Emergency Fleet Corporation. and that
they were leaving the rife plant to work
in the shipyards.
Nations Principal Plant
This Is our principal rifle plant, 3"
Major ,Aymes Informed the committee in
/ speaking of the Eddystone plant. There
we are producing five thousand rifles a
/ day whereas we should be producing
! $500 a day. There we are short 1000
men owing to the living or housing con-
ditions. This doesn't mean that any
body has TO go without rifle, for we
contemplate overtaliing our entire rife
program in the sprinE of 1919. but we
ought to have 100000 more rifles than
we have got"
Major Aymes said that at Eddystone
the present output Of the principal type
of cartridges was far below what the
cartridge plant there was provided for
simply because the housing conditions
We're so bad that workmen refused to
remain. He estimated that houses were
needed at Eddystone for 2lOO persons.
Those living there now are living IN
a very disadvantageous manner" he
added. I'VE have exhausted all present
resources to get them proper housing
conditions. We are losing 1000 workers
"A month because ~ the conditions ex-
isting there"
Inadequate Facilities
otto NJ. Eidlitz. director of the bureau
Of housing of the Department of Labor,
told Clark's committee that adequate
and proper facilities for those engaged
in such manufacturing must be COM
pleted and ready for occupancy six
months from now whether they be
temporary or permanent He estimated
the $l9i, i,607, 900 asked for as the mini
I mum lump sum" urgently needed 10
provide war workers with housing COM
/ mensurate with the American war pro-
gram
Major Garrett not only corroborated
what Major Ames said but declared
our plant has the capacity to turn out
more rifles than any other rife plant In
the world, but we simply cannot speed
up our production because we cannot get
enough workers and cannot hold then
when we get them, because of made.
Quatc housing conditions not only In Ed
dystone, but i'm Chester and Philadel-
phia, which cities are near Eddystone.
when our workers first come" Major
Garrett said, they come alone Wher
they bring their wives and families ther,
is no place for them to 1--we. and so the,
leave. We lost 60 per cent i'm tha
way"
Major William =. Jeffrey of the plant
section of the War Department. sale
that the capacity Of the country's rin,
plants will have to he speeded up OF
new plants must be built: housing sim
ply must be provided for if we are
to get adequate rifle production anC
save the enormous cost of construction
of new plants"