Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-25
THE WORK OF GEN. CROZIER.
What He Has Achieved as Head OF
the Ordnance Department.

FROM the Army and Navy Journal
The announcement by Brig. Gen
William Crozier. chief OF the bureau of
ordnance, United States Army, in his an
nual report that this is his last report
on account of being relieved from the
command Of the ordnance department
and assigned to other duty calls atten-
ton to the great services he has rendered
to the army in his position as head of
that very important bureau. TO the
meeting of the great responsibilities OF
that position he has brought the quail
ties of energy, studiousness, receptivity
to new ideas and steadfast devotion to
high ideals that have lifted his depart
ment into a wider field Of usefulness and
efficiency.
Gen. Crozier was appointed chief of
ordnance in November, 1901, and the
department was then operating under
the detail system as established by the
act of February 2, 1901. Previous TO nus
regime the officers OF the ordnance de-
partment had acquired their education
as specialists-that is as engineers OF
ordnance-as best they might, teaching
and training themselves as haphaZard OPP
portunities were offered by their Vari-
Gus duties. The result was that only
part of the officers of the department
were able to handle the engineering
work connected with the design or even
the manufacture of the guns carriages,
etc Gen. Crozier. who. like all thorough
men, realizes the value of solid ground
work in training, established courses or
instruction under capable teachers, the
most important of which is perhaps the
theoretical course in the application OF
| mechanics. chemistry and electrics TO ord
nance construction. which is pursued Tor
| a year at the Sandy Hook proving ground
| in connection with the proof and expert
| mentatiOn work there. Any officer who
| has passed through that course VIII tes-
| tify to it's completeness and to its ability
| to give an officer the solid foundation
| upon which to build his further training
| in ordnance work.
| Again reverting to Gen. CroZiers love
| for thoroughness We might describe the
practical course in machine shop. foun-
| dry, forge shop and testing laboratory,
where the officers in Overalls work just
| as the mechanics do, and enjoy it. 1t
was the belief of Gen. CroZier not only
that the officers would be fairly good ar
tisans at the end of that apprenticeship.
but that they would also be capable OF
| taking the employees view, as we'll as the
| employers. in regard to many subjects
This idea of giving the officers the EN-
| ployes point of view was one of the
actuating motives behind the establishing
| of this kind of instruction. and should
| silence those labor" leaders who have
been trying to prove that Gen. Crozier,
| in advocating advanced scientific manage
ment of mechanical plants, has lacked
sympathy with the workingman The
ordnance department will profit hereafter
| from the broad treatment which Gen
| Crozier has always given TO departmental
| and general service problems. 1t is for
| tunate that the administration of the ord
nance department is to be in the able and
| experienced hands of Col. Brine until an
| appointment of Gen. CroZier's successor Is
made