The daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Leflore Co., Miss.) 1916-1919, 1919-05-14
Facilities For Making
Machine Guns Were
Limited
WHY LEWIS GUNS
WERE NOT ADOPTED
Expansion War Mater
ials Occurred With
Much Rapidity
Associated Press


WASHINGTON, May 14-Machine
guns and small arms produced by the
millions, ammunition turned out by
billions Of rounds and tanks built by
thousands when the armistice ended
hostilities, furnish the subject Of
chapters made public today of the
War Departments history of the
MATERIAL side Of winning the war.
The story of machine gun produc-
tion, about which such hot contro-
versy waged in Congress as a result
of the American army to adopt for
standard general useS.he Lewis wea-
pom used successfully abroad, is told
as follows: Al
"The manufacturing facilities for
machine guns in this country were
much more limited in extent that the
public had any notion of them (when
the United States entered the wary
or today. We had at the outbreak of
the war only two factories which were
actually producing machine guns in
any quintity at ALL
ut 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 a week after the de-
claration of war, were placing orders
for machine guns. In this connection
the reader should bear continually in
mind that thsoughout the develop
ment Of machine gun anufacture we
utilized all existing facilities to the
limit in addition to building up new
sources of supply.
ssIn other words, whenever con-
Germs were engaged in the manufsc-
ture of machine guns, whatever their
make or type, we did not stop the
production of these types In these
plants and convert the establishment
into factories for making other wea-
pons; but we had them continue the
manufacture m in which they were enga-
ped, giving them orders which would
| enable them to expand their facill-
| ties in their particular lines OF pro-
| duction."
| The statement shows that the two
| Browning guns, the heavy and the
light automatic rifle (of the type nov
in use by the troops in France) were
| pronounced by the special test boare
which held a conference in May, 1871
"the most effective guns of their types
! known to the members" in addition
to being designed for the purpose o.
qpantity production. At the same tes'
| improved Lewis guns also PROVED
highly efficient and were recommend
cd by the board. Subsequently the
Lewis guns were shifted to aircraf
work because of special adaptabilit,
and on recommendation of Genera
Pershing's staff.
4 The report says there was grea
dearth OF heavy machine guns for ar
craft work, to be syncronized witt
propellers. This shortage existed II
the French and BRUSH services d
well as in the American. The Brown
ing aircraft gun would have met IN
requirements, but it would be lon'
;. time before it could be produced Il
. quantity. In seeking stop gap Wea
non until the Browning could b
ready, the Ordnance Department, D.
, lone of those surprising and alnos
accidental successes" sometimes en-
countered, found that modified MAJ
, lin gun which could be quickly Pre-
duced met all requirements. Genera
!! P9rshing cabled in November 19ls
> aMarlin guns now rank as high
any with pilots, and are entirely sal
1 81