Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-08-07
Plant Here Began Making Atomic Bomb Part
With Only CoIoneFs Rough Sketch for Guidance
Mehring & Hanson
Employees Didn't Know
Object Of Their Work

A share OF the work on the atomic
bomb was done here just a few blocks
from the Capitol, but like all the
other companies which had a part
in its development neither the Of
hcials nor the workers Of the Meh-
ring 81 Hanson Co. had any idea OF
the end product of their labors.
There were satisfied grins in the
plant at IL H street NE. today and
some kidding, too, for the men had
been sure they were working on
something else entirely. One school
of thought was convinced they were
making fire extinguishers for the
B-29s.
william H. Singleton, vice presi-
dent in charge of the company's
Washington office, where the work
was done, said 1t all began when he
let an Army colonel wash up at his
home.
The company, he explained, had
done three Army jobs under this par
ticular colonel. One day he arrived
in Washington and couldn't find
hotel Accommodations.
He came out to the house to wash
up. He was then on his way to see
the folks about this. We got to talk
ing and he asked me II we thought
we could make certain part which
he drew on paper napkin.
Had Only Rough Sketch.
''It was very rough and mac
curate sketch. We agreed to tackle
the program with no more informa-
ton than that"
Mr., Singleton pointed to a car
toon he keeps under the glass top
of his desk. The cartoon showed a
harassed manufacturer looking at a
blue print with censored" marked
all over it. The manufacturer is
saying: you want us to manufac-
ture it but it's SO secret the blue
prints are censored"
I'VE figured that was the predica-
ment we were in" he grinned.
Speed was the watchword, Mr..
Singleton said. That meant days,
nights and Sundays away from
home. Last night, he said, the COL
onel called Mrs. Singleton to ask
If she forgave him now for all the
time her husband was away from
home.
II guess the wives can all be as
sured now that their husbands were
engaged in this activity and not in
others" Mr.. Singleton grinned.
There were times, he recalled,
when the colonel would send him a
wire telling him to be at the airport
at 4 am. The colonel wanted to
talk to him for an hour between
planes.
Often Discouraged.
And there were other times when
the kinks were SO discouraging that
everybody's spirits were at low ebb
At those times, Mr.. Singleton said,
man sent in from the Army was a
big help. He stayed with the men,
explaining at every turn the urgency
of what they were doing.
The unions were called together
and shown an invasion film to step
| UP their morale. Returned veterans
came in to talk to them.
The work couldn't have been ac.'
complished without the unions" Mr..
Singleton said. Regular working
agreements were thrown out the
window. The rules call for each
man to do one job and no other, but
everybody pitched in and did every
thing"
He cited the cooperation he had
gotten from Sheetmetal Workers
Local No. 102, Plumbers Local No. 5,
Steamfitters' Local No. COZ and La
borers' Local No. IA, all AFL unions.
He said he is going to send letter
to each of the unions now, inclosing
yesterdays headlines.
Letters will also 60 out to the men