The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-05-27

EEDST0CK
Or RESERVE
MUNITIONS
Colonel Ruggles Discusses
ordnance Problems
at Arsenal.

maintenance ofaa reserve stock OF
runItions sufficient to supply the
ANN in war until ordnance produc-
,,ou can be brought 10 full capac-
r.; replacement Of explosives and
..bsr material as rapidly as they
S.tsriorate or become obsolete;
ririd development Of new weapons
,ud keeping up-to-date plans for
IN quickest possible utilization
M government and private facilities
N munitions productions were ad-
yocated by Colonel c. l. H. Ruggles.
ordnance department, U. S. A., ad-
dressing members Of the American
Society Of Mechanical Engineers.
IN session at the Rock Island ar
wnal this afternoon
Special cars with 100 members of
As society arrived this morning
for Q two day stay at Americas 8
rsstest ordnance manufacturing
stnter. The morning was spent in
inspection Of the arsenal plant un-
de direction of Colonel H. B. Jor-
isn. Lunch was served in the ar
vspal cafeteria and this evening
HaI Slovsky. chief engineer Deere
q Co., give an address. William
Butterworth will give a short talk.
The present munitions reserve is
sstimated to be worth 81 SOC, 900, 900,
Colonel Ruggles said. To replace
10 mokeless powder and other
ammunition containing explosives
Wefy Is years, as it deteriorates,
md the other munitions every 81
yars, would cost $56,000,000 an
uually, he said. To this must be
Mded $5,O00,0O0 annually to main.
tin the stocks in storage and an
1c,her $5,O00,OO0 for research and
Development work to keep equip
msnt designs up to date.
Cntcising the failure Of con-
gres to appropriate any money
icf The purchase Of munitions until
Ten weeks after war with Germany
M declared, Colonel Ruggles said
10 ideal" arrangement would b.
mi the notice in the daily paper.
4 The declaration of war would bt
notice to munition plants previousl.
Mscted and furnished with plan.
70 start manufacturing.
Raage Increased 80 Per Cent.
In the field of research the ord
iance department has been order
70 develop mobile artillery will
I 70 per cent increase in range
isahout any material increase ii
seyht; and explosives which vii
y both fashless and more smoke
ss than those used in the Worlt
W. Safer fuses to eliminate pre-
hasure explosions are also being
eeerimented with, he added.
y think that few men will as
Colonel Ruggles said, ii,
mv OF the many lessons of oul
Mn short history, that the Unitet
sa1es has fought its last war. La
nentable as wars are, no machin
~ has been devised yet that will
prevent or even limit their fright
aainess. The last, war was thu
most frightful ever fought, and tn,
as4t war between major power.
all probability will be mucl
worse. 1t is possible now to de
,loy tne whole population of ;
stge city by poison gas dropped
.,om aircraft, and this is only on,
lne many possible forms of de
aacsion that might be employed
"a interruptions enemy"
.1perlence in the World wa,
.", ,uvseo, he said. that men could b,
s.ouin1ed and trained faster thai
Nv. ,Mssaltions could be produced, AM
80 ' u took practically 20 month.
~ ne ordnance department t,
a,cn sT up with the army in the field
n..e r.yHne FOR this delay and esti
,i. ,isung the construction of mum
l,, sus al the same rate as in tn,
~, n.y. war. experts agreed, he said
si.s. s 'ne present reserve is sufii
S.'' .a'' II maintained, for the mex
En,, which. the colonel added, i
00uAd to come.
Penetrating Bullet.
,e1oa,u lug United States army has de
ssnlS s,Upsd so calibre machine gul
M sSAole OF firing a bullet which a
ns, I ards will penetrate the one
1s,..s G amor plate OF battle tanks
ssno uol Lee 0. Wright, army ord
A. se ~ department., announced toda
n,ns o annual convention of the ord
se TS section of the engineers.
-e new weapon is an outgrowti
WOulllupd IN De-.