Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-06-30
Nays West Cost Developments
Doom Indian Heed, Nd, Facilities

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comments on the remark about
the lack of technical experience:
ITO say that there is no
'know-how' is a shame. A little
retooling is all it would take"
To Senator Butler, who told
him Of his White House visit.
Mr.. jenkins wrote:
1T will be a tragic error If
the fine facilities available at
the installation are not used to
their full capabilities in the
current defense effort"
Now that private firms have
already been given contracts to
produce the new composite
propellants. the Navy is prepar-
ing to install similar facilities
on a small scale at Indian Head.
Capt. Atkins, the new COM
mandant. says Indian Head will
be able ito make composite pro-
pellants within six months. /"
But he does not anticipate that
the plant will De built up be-
yond its present personnel level.
When Representative Lank-
ford asked Defense Secretary
McElroy why a $50 million
contract had been awarded re-
Gently to the Aerojet- General
Corp. for work ON the Minute
man missile, he got this reply
from the Secretary's missile di-
rector. Mr.. Holiday:
"The recent Aerojet- General
Corp. Minuteman award is for
research and development only.
The program is at present a
research and development eff
fort. No specific plans for
production have been gener-
ated. ="
But Indian Head has been
engaged in research and de-
velopment too. Why couldn't
its experienced people be given
some Of the work on the Min
uteman, ask county residents.
Competitive Disadvantage
One Of the answers is that
armed forces facilities are at a
disadvantage when competing
against private industry in es-
timating costs.
When a military installation
like Indian Head submits an
estimate on the cost of produc-
ing a propellant, salaries and
fringe benefits Of its military
personnel are included, along
with the salaries of its civilian
employees. Private firms do not
have to include such costs.
Another answer is that pri-
vate firms like Aerojet are
aggressively developing new
prooellants even before the
military calls for them. AS a
result, they can offer them to
the military planners when the
time is ripe and pretty much
set their own price on them.
Informed spokesman in the
Navy say they have been buy
ing time" in placing contracts
with firms like Aerojet. But
they say strongly that funds
should also be spent on facili-
ties like Indian Head to make
them competitive with the pri-
vate firms, thus bringing down
the price of new propellants
and in the long run saving the
country millions in paying for
them.
Still another legislator has
looked into the Indian Head
situation-Senator Byrd. DEM
ocrat Of Virginia. In response
to one Of his queries, the Nays
chief of ordnance, Rear Ad-
miral Paul d. Stroop. wrote:
THE major expenditures in
the new weapons systems are
primarily in the electronics in
dustry in lieu Of the explosives
industry. Because Of this fact.
the Naval Powder Factory must
suffer cutbacks :"
Gates Promised Action
II this is true. ask Indian
Head residents. what about the
millions spend in California foi
propellants alone. not including
any electronics?
When Representative Lark
ford and Senator Beall. Re-
publican Of Maryland. carried
to Secretary of the Navy Gates
several months ago an appeal
for higher employment levels
at Indian Head. Mr.. Gates said
he would give serious consid-
Grafton to two Of their sug-
gestions.
One proposal was that a
civilian director be appointed
for the factory Another was
that all or part of rhe facilities
be leased to private production
firms. To date. there has been
no action on either question.