Evening star., 1940-09-30
President |nspects
Army's Laboratory
Al Aberdeen, Md.
Visit to Glenn l. Martin
Aircraft Plant Slated
For This Afternoon
BY JOHN c. HENRY,
Star Staff Correspondent.

cteA Guam
BALTIMORE. Sept 30-Presi-
dent Roosevelt visited one of the
Nations foremost laborator Of
modern warfare near here today
the Aberdeen Proving Ground.
Spending a full morning at this
point. an important spot in the
concentration of civil and military
brain power now employed in the
defense program, the commander
in-chief then planned to inspec, the
Glenn L. Martin Co. aircraft manu-
featuring plant. AS his final stop
Of the days tour. Mr.. Roosevelt
was to visit Fort George G. Meade,
at present undergoing a face lift
ing" to make it ready for an esti-
mated 10000 conscript and National
Guard trainees.
The President arrived at Aberdeen
this morning after a weekend cruise
down the Potomac River and up
Chesapeake Bay on the White
House yacht Potomac Assistant
Secretary Of War Robert P. Patter-
son was among those making the
cruise with Mr.. Roosevelt and ac-
companying him throughout to-
days inspections. Brig. Gen. Edwin
M. Watson, military aide and secre-
tary to the President. joined him
at the proving ground. today.
At Aberdeen. the President was
Joined by William S Knudsen of the
Defense Commission. Gov. O'Conor
Of Maryland. Senators Tydings and
Radcliffe, Representatives Cole.
Sasscer and DAlesandro. Mayor
Howard w Jackson of Baltimore
and Chairman w. F. Roberts of the
Maryland Defense Commission.
Maj. Gen. c. M. Wesson. chief of
ordnance of the United States Army,
and Col. j. B. Rose, commanding
officer at Aberdeen, greeted the
Chief Executive as he stepped
ashore. Twenty-one guns roared
as the Potomac made fast at her
pier.
Under pressure of the defense pro-
gram the proving ground civilian
employment has increased to ap-
proximately 1000 persons.
Among the important items of
ordnance now under test there are
the new Comm. anti-aircraft guns.
first to be viewed by Mr. Roosevelt
today.
Three Subjects for Laboratory.
Established in 1918. the Proving
Ground is a 24,000-acre military
laboratory, devoted to three major
activities-the testing of guns and
ammunition, testing and research in
automotive problems, and ballistics
research.
For the first OF these, the War
Department notes that special
measuring instruments of great re-
finement have been developed to
record projectile velocity, gun pres
sure, recoil pressure. time of flight
OF anti-aircraft shells, etc. Both
new and standard types OF guns
and ammunition are subject to ex-
Fermentation here.
At q time when mechanization
has become the password of effec-
tive warfare. the automotiye work
at Aberdeen is considered particu-
larly important. A War Department
commentary follows:
Tests Army's Rolling Stock.
THE automotive laboratory tests
pilot models, standard tanks. and
track k-laying vehicles used in mecha-
nized warfare. The laboratory equip
ment includes thermometers and
apparatus specially developed for
this work Traction thermometers
are used in the development Of
tracks and vehicle suspensions, and
equipment IS available for measur-
ing rolling resistance of all types Of
vehicles.
The research being conducted
here on tracks, suspension and
steering of high-speed track-laying
vehicles is the only such activity
in our country. and is made possible
by much specially developed equip
ment not available elsewhere.
Research in armor plate and IN
rubber are two important elements
of this work"
Results of the ballistics research
conducted at Aberdeen have been
directed principally toward the de-
signing Of new projectiles. the de-
sigr. of new types of propellmg
charges to give greater muzzle pre-
cision. and the construction Of firing
tables Of increased accuracy and
refinement.