Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-05-13


the millions, ammunition turned out
by billions of rounds and tanks built
by thousands when the armistice
ended hostilities, furnish the sub
Ject of chapters made public to-day
by the War Departments history of
the material side of winning the
war.
The story of machine gun produc-
ton, about which such a hot con-
troversy waged in Congress as a re-
suit of the failure of the American
army to adopt for standard general
use the Lewis weapon used success
fully abroad, is told as follows:
The manufacturing facilities for
machine guns in this country were
much more limited in extent that
the public had any notion of them
1when the United States entered
the war; or to-day. We had at the
outbreak of the war only two fac
tories which were actually produce
ing machine guns in any quantity
at all.
Built Up Production
"It was therefore evident that We
had to build up almost completely
new capacity for production. Never
theless. we took advantage of what
| facilities were at hand; and at once,
in fact, within week after the
declaration of war, We're placing
orders for machine guns. In TINS
connection the reader should pear
continually in mind that throughout
the development of machine gun
manufacture we utilized all existing
facilities to the limit in addition to
building up new sources OF supply.
IN other words, whenever con-
Germs were engaged in the manufac-
ture of machine guns, whatever their
make or type, we did not stop the
production of these types in these
plants and convert the establish
ments into factories for making
| other weapons: but We had them
continue the manufacture in which
they were engaged, giving them or
ders which would enable them to
expand their facilities in their par
| ticular lines of production"
l. Browning Guns Best
| The statement shows that the two
Browning guns, the heavy and the
light automatic rifle (of the type
now in use by the troops in France), /,
were pronounced by the special test
board which held a conference in
May, 1917, the most effective guns
of their types known to the mem
!
for the purpose of quantity produc-
ton. At the same test improved
Lewis guns also proved highly effi-
cient and were recommended by the
board. Subsequently the Lewis guns
were shifted to. aircraft work be-
cause of special adaptability and on
recommendation of General Perish
! ing's staff.
The report says there was great
dearth of heavy machine guns for
aircraft work, to be syncroniZed
with propellers. This shortage en-
listed in the French and British SER
vices as we'll as in the American.
The Browning aircraft gun would
have met the requirements, put IL
would be long time before 1t could
be produced in quantity. In seeking
stop gap weapon until the Brown
ing could be ready, the ordnance
Department, by "one of those sur
prising and almost accidental sue
| cessea' sometimes encountered
found that a modified Marlin gun,
which could be quickly produced,
met all requirements. General
Pershing cabled in November, 1918,
| Marlin guns now rank as high as
any with pilots, and are entirely
satisfactorily"
Vickers Traded to French
"The first twelve American divi-
sions to reach France" the report
continues. were armed with Hotch-
kiss heavy machine guns and Chau-
chat automatic rifles by the French
government. More than 1,00O
Vickers heavy guns produced IN the
United States were traded to the
French, as they were needed IN
French aircraft. During May ana
June, 1918, eleven American divi-
sions sailed, all equipped with
Vickers heavy guns built in the
United States. and received Chau-
chat rifles in France. After June
all divisions to sail were equipped
with the standard American weap-
ons, the light and heavy Brownings.
The work of the light Browninss
] ia declared to have been SO spec
tacular as compared with any eX-
istine weapons of this character,
that when they were demonstrated
in France, the officers OF the Amer
lean Expeditionary Force promptly
decided to increase the equipment
of infantry troops by so per cent,
adding enormously to the produc-
tion burden at home. The heavy
Brownings functioned so well that
an official report is quoted telling OF
the work of IT guns which were
tested Immediately after they had
been engaged with the enemy in a
severe action and while they stnl
we're encrusted with rust and mud
and bearing shrapnel scars. With
out being cleaned in any way, each
gun fired a belt of $50 cartridges
without a malfunction.
The demand for light Brownings
was so heavy that when the arml-
stice was signed, the department
was driving forward production to
the end that British, Belgian and
French troops might be equipped
with this weapon, these three ma
| tions having asked for supplies OF
this latest American addition TO the
fighting equipment.
Up to November IL, the produc-
ton of Browning rifles was 52,2SS,
a majority of which were in France.
In addition $4,000 Chauchat guns
had been purchased, so that enough
light automatic rifles were on hand
to supply 100 divisions or an army
of $500, 900 men. In the same time,
41.SO4 heavy Brownings and enough
yickers guns had been produced to
make with the Hotchkiss weapons,
purchased from the French, a total
Of 54,627 of this type, or enough to
equip 200 divisions or an army OF
1000, 900.