Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-12-10
NO H0W|TzERs NEEDED
General Crozier, Army Ordnance
Chief, Says American Field
Artillery Is as Good as Any in
the WOrld--But More Is
Needed.

from the European war were discussed
before the House military and naval COM
mittees to-day by Brgadler-General Gro
zier, chief OF ordnance OF the army, and
Rear Admiral Badger. OF the navy's gen
eral staff. General Crozier said the Uni
ted States never would have use for guns
similar to the great howitners with which
the Germans demolished Belgiums forts,
and asserted that the American field guns
were as good as any in the world. Ad-
miral Badger told the naval committee
that Ship for ship, the United states
navy Is equal to, II not better than that
OF Germany or any other nation An.
swering questions the admiral gave his
idea of why the British navy is content
to keen the German fleet bottled up In
stead of forcing an engagement,
While these committees were at work
the ma jority members Of the rules COM
mittee were deciding not to grant the re-
quest of Representative Gardner Of Mas
sachusetts for a hearing on his resolu-
ton to direct special inquiry into the
preparedness of the United States for
war. Chairman Henry later addressed .
letter to Representative Gardner advising
him that his proper forum for hearing
would be before the regularly constituted
committees OF the House, which ARE now
in daily session considering matters per-
tanning to the military and naval strength
Of the country
GARDNER TO KEEP UP FIGHT.
Notwithstanding the committees atti-
tude, Mr.. Gardner tonight reiterated his
determination to keep up the fight for a
special investigation. During the day Sem
ator Lodge indicated that he would call
UP in the Senate later his resolution SINH
lar to the one introduced in the House by
Representative Gardner.
Ordnance, from automatic pistols to 16-
inch howitzers, was discussed by General
Crozier in connection with his estimates
for the next fiscal year. On this score the
United States has no need to feel I'M
comfortable"
Have you seen models Of the new 10
: inch field guns which the Germans arc
reported to be using in Europe?" Repre-
sentative Kahn asked.
: NO" replied General Crozier, land We
do not contemplate experimenting with
i those big guns. No one knows what thev
. may come to, but we must consider the
I purpose for which these guns were used
, in Europe. The French Belgian border
WAS defsnded by armored forts, mountina
: three and six-inch guns. to meet such ar
= tillery as ordinarily accompany mobilr
= armies. Tho German. knew those gun
were there and those forts were there
g and brought UP these special guns t.
: demolish them. From what I understan;
r It is an engineering feat to move those IS
= inch field guns, and they can be trans
y pOrted only nv rail Now aro mot 20
n ing up against anything like that and
5 can see no reason why we should nee'
h any ouch guns as that"
THE GATHMANN GUN.
a Il have understood" said Mr. Kahn
Il that this same gun which the German
e are using or one practically the same
4 was invented by an American name
Y Gathmann of Chicago and that it wa
l. offered to the war department and tn
It navy department.
There is no invention about buildin
a big gum" returned General Crozier
4 anybody can do that Claimants gu
was very different affair from thi
gun His original model embodied man
4, new tangled notions, He finally cam
, down to building a seacoast defense gu
:. using a very large projecule with
heavy charge Of gun cotton. We con
:. Quoted several experiments with fund
appropriated by Congress Finally a
=, eighteen-inoh gun was built along tn
lines suggested by Gathmann. It wa
!. tested out side by side with a 12-inc
" service model gun"
:, He added that the Gathmann guI
=. which depended upon a projectile burs
- ing on contact, was of much les
~ efficiency than the service gun with a
~. armor piercing projectile.
OUR FIELD ARTILLERY.
he Discussing field artillery, Generi
ar Crozier said the ordnance bureau was
H. present experimenting with field howitze
On Of seven-and a-half and nine and a hal
o. inch calibre. These, he said would
TO able to move with a mobile army.
ca present he said. the field artillery is su
Piled with three and six-inch guns. {
n, these, he said. there are now $50 In ser
IA ice or ordered He expects to increa
an the number to sla during the next We
m and ne estimates 1922 guns as the MAJ
mum needed.
I'VE think our field guns are as go
"a any In the world" said tho general
In ammunition for neld guns Gener
ng CroEier said the department had S p
NJ cent OF the estimated needed reserve
nd hand for the number Of guns availa b
Dir This he said he hoped to increase to
CO per cent. within the year. The DEPARTING
II. contemplated supply OF 100 roun
nd for each three-inch gun, he said, Und
.ss the present ratio Of appropriations.
iii said, the entire reserve would be suppl
In four years. In time Of war Gener
Crozier estimated the government plar
and private factories In the count
could turn out 100000 rounds in six mont
~ and 10000 rounds a month thereafter
81 ARMoREp AUTOMOBILES.
In If you were In war would that
ION enough" asked Representative Avid
1t West Virginia
me We'll the ammunition plants are bel
a enlarged right along" said General Cr'
zee, Ter; they are meeting an increased {
SEES msnd"
the Are they selling through Canada
sshsd Representative Kahn.