Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1914-12-09
Armored Automobiles Being Sold to
Belligerent Power in Europe
Through Canada.
NO NEED FOR BIG HowITzERs
Officer Asserts Great Siege Guns OF
Germans Useless to America.
BADGER SPEAKS FOR THE NAVY
shin for ship II IL Equal 60, II Not
Better Than, that of Kaiser
wilhelm, He De-


WASHINGTON, Dec. S.-Lessons drawn
from the European war weer discussed
before the house military and naval COM
mittees today by Brigadier General
Crosier. chief of ordnance of the army
and Rear Admiral Badger of the navy 3
general staff. ,'....
General Crosier said the United States
never would have use for guns similar
TO the great howwitsers with which the
Germans demolished Beigium's 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, If not better than, that
of Germany or any other nation"
Ansewring questions, the admiral gave
his idea of why the British navy is con-
tent to keep the German fleet bottled
up" instead OF forcing an engagement.
Won't Grant Request.
While these committees were at work
the majority members of the rules COM
mittee were deciding not to grant the
request of Representative Gardner Of
Massachusetts, for hearing on his reso-
luton to direct a special inquiry into the
preparedness in the United States for
war. Chairman Henry latter addressed
q letter to Representative Gardner advis-
ing him that his proper forum for hear
ing would be before the regularly consti-
tuted committees of the house which are
now In daily session considering matters
pertaining to the. military and naval
strength of the country"
VIII 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
Senator Lodge indicated that he would
call UP in the senate later his resolution
similar to the one introduced in the
house by Representative Gardner.
Ordnance from automatic pistols to six
teen-inch howitzers was discussed by
General Crozier in addition to with his
estimates for the next fiscal -year. On
this score "the United States has no need
to feel uncomfortable"
Have you seen models of the new six
teen-inch field guns which the Germans
are reported to be using in Europe? Rep
resentative Kahn asked.
Don't Intend Using Them.
NO" replied General Crozier. "and we
DO not contemplate experimenting with
those big guns. No one knows what they
may come to. but we must consider the
purpose for which these guns were used
m Europe. The French-Belgian border
was defended by armored forts mounting
shreo and six-inch guns, to meet such ar
s1llery as ordinarily accompany mobile
artmes.
1.-THE Germans knew these guns were
There and those forts were there, and
brought mp these special guns to demol-
tsh them. From what understand. 1t is
an engineering feat to move those six
teen-inch field guns and they can be
transported only by rail. Now, we are
not going up against anything like that
and can see no reason why we should
need any such guns as that"
Invented by American.
81 have understood said Mr.. Kahn
that this same gun which the Germans
are using, or one practically the same
was invented by an American named
Gathmann of Chicago and that 1t was
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