South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-05-16
Story of Munitions is Made
Public by War Department


WASHINGTON NaN Ib-Na-
chine guns and small arms produced
b. the muliors ammuuitiou turned
out bv billions Of rounds and tanF-
built Dy thousands Wher the drmi--
tice ended hoslutiee furnish the
subject OF chapters made public OF
the war Department history OF the
material side of winning inc war.
The storr OF ba.nIre gun produc-
ton. about which such not con-
trover-y naeed 900 congress as o. re-
suit Of the failure OF the American
army 20 adopt for standard general
Use the Lewis weapon used success
fully abroad. i~ told as follows
The u4,..f..,....ir.. facilities fo,
machine guns sn tins country were
much more IrrrJ I'M extent .ha,
tine public had any notion OF then,
crher the United States entered rho
war or TO-DAY we hsd az the out
break Of inc war ogI, Two factorts.
which were, 70 .tuariv producin2 ma
cniuc -uu. iu ans a.autitf a. all
RuiIt N.,, Production tan,,ity
"It was Therefore evident thai we
had 10 buiI5 b., almost complate,,.
new e.pacitv for production Never
the less. we took 4dvanta2e of VIVA.
facilities were ~ nspd ana al once
an fact within week 4fter the dec
laration of sar were ,,I.cina or
ders for machine guns On this con
n4ctiou the reader soo,ld le,,. ,,,,,
tiuually in mind that throughout tho
aeveiopp.ort 90 ,.,cl,t,. .,,,, ,,.,,.
fscture We utilized an existing r.
ciIuies 10 the Iinit In addition ia
b1iIiinG up new sources or supply.
I'm other words whenever con.
Germs were eogsze6 I'M The usnufae-
ure of machine guns ,vbatever
their make a.. TYNE We li1 mo, s+o,
the production OF these types IN
these nlaot. and .opvert Tho .et.h
IiShments into factories for rnatin.
otber ,veaDor.. bu+ ,ye had tbe,.
continue the nanufsct,1re i'm which
thev were engaged eiving then. or
ders " Mich would enabI. ttem to
ovnand tbei- facilities An tb.t,. ,.r-
ficul,r tires ~ r,ro,,,.t,o.,, b..
Rrov-uiup. AIo-t Enecti,e
The statement shows thai the two
browning guns the aeayv and the
ti.bt su+onat:c ri1a tof IN. tyra
now m use bv tba troops in France,
we're nronouDced r, the speciaI test
board which held conference nm
Nav 1917. The most effective Guns
Of their tvpes known To the mem
hers in addition to being designed
FOR the purpose of luantitv produc-
ton At the same test improved
lewis guns also pfoved hirhI, eff
. rieut and we're recommended bv the
hoard subsequently the Lewis ours
we're shifted TO aircraft work be
cause of speciaI ada9tabili;v and ON
commentator of cen. Pershing.
staff.
report SAYS there was erea.
dearth OF heavy machine guns FOR
aircraft work tc be svncronizeu
With propeHers. This shortage eN-
istod i'm the French and British sery-
ices as we'll as i'm the American. The
Browning aircraft gun would nave
met the requirements. but il would
he a long time before il could be
produced nm quantity. I'm seeking a
stop gap weapon until the BroWning
could be ready the ordnance de
partment. ey one OF those surpris-
ing and almost accidental successes
sometimes encountered. found that
% modified Marlin gun which coul
he quickly produced met all re-
l1lrements Gen. Pershiug cabled
I'm November. 1918. Marlin gun.
nov rank as high as any with pilots
and are entirely satisfactory"
French Loaned Guns.
The first l. American divisions
10 reach France. the report con.
1uues. were armed with HotChkiss
heav~ machine guns and Chaucha
7utomoatic rifles by the French gov
eminent. More than 900 Vicker'
heavy guns produced i'm the United
states were traded 10 the French a.
they were needed IN French aircraft
During May and June. 1918. ]
American divisions sailed. all equip
ned with Vickers heavy guns bull
tn the Z mted States. and receive,
Chauchat rifles M France Ate
June an divisions TO SAIL wer,
equipped with the standard Ameri
can weapons the hsht and heaN,
Erownings"
The work or the GCht Browning
4. .s..1a~l.4 g., t,,..a l,,.,, 80, .r,e.ra.tf