Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-12-09
General Crozler Chief Of
Ordnance Of Field Forces,
and Admiral Badger Testify
Before Committee.
LESSONS OF EUROPEAN
WAR TOUCHED UPON
United States Has No Need
for Great Siege Guns Used
by Germany in Reducing
Forts.

VI TOT
isY sasr,so JOURNAL SPECIAL l,ssto w,ssl
Washington. Dec. S.--Lcssons
drawn from the European war were
discussed before the house military
and naval committees todny by Brig
adler General crozler. chief OF ord
nance Of the army. and Rear Admiral
Badger Of the nayy's general staff
General crozIer said that the Unit
ed States never would have use for
guns similar TO the great howitzers
with which the Germans demolished
Bclgium'a forts, and asserted that tho
American field guns were as good as
any In the world. General Badger
told tho naval committee that ship
for ship the United States navy is
equal TO. II not better than, that
OF Germany or any other nation"
Answering questions. the admiral
gave his idea OF why the British navy
Is content to keep the German fleet
bottled up instead Of forcing an en-
gagement.
Gardner Turned Down.
While these committees were. at
work the majority members OF the
rules committee were deciding not TO
grant the request OF Representative
Gardner of Massachusetts, for a hear
ing on his resolution to direct a spe-
clal inquiry into the preparedness of
the United States for war. Chairman
Henry later addressed q letter TO Rep
resentatIve Gardner. advising him
that his proper forum for hearing
would be before the regularly consti-
tutcd committees OF the house which
"arc now In daily sessions consider
ing matters pertaining TO the military
and naval strength of the country
Notwithstanding the committees
attitude Mr.. Gardner tonight reiterat-
ed his determination to keep UP the
fight for special Investigation. Dur
Ing 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 Repre-
sentative Gardner.
Well Provided For.
Ordnance, from automatic pistols to
16-ineh 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 uncomfortable"
'Have you seen models Of the new
iG-inch field guns which the Ger
mans are reported to be using In Eu-
rope2" Representative Kahn asked.
No replied General Crozier,
"and We do not contemplate expert
menting with those big guns. No one
knows what they may come to. but
we must consider The purpose for
which these guns we're used in Eu-
rope The French Belgian border
was defended BY armored forts,
mounting three and six-inch guns TO
meet such artillery as ordinarily ac-
company mobile armifA.
'erhe Germans knew these guns
were there and those forts were there
and brought up these special guns to
delnolish them From what | under
stand il Is an engineering feat to move
those sIxteen-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"
The Catlnann Gun.
:" have understood said Mr. Kahn,
"that this same gun which The Ger
mans are using, or one practically the
same. was invented by an American
named Gathmaun Of Chicago and
that It was offered to the war depart
ment and the navy department.
There Is no invention about build
ing big gum returned General
Crozier; anybody can do that. Gath
mann's gun was very different af-
fair from this gun. Ills original mod
cl embodied many new-fangled no.
tons lie finally came down to build
ing sea-ooast defense gun using a
very large projectile with heavy
charge of guncotton. We conducted
several experiments with funds APP
propriated by congress. Finally an
elehteen-inch gun was built along the
lines suggested by Gathmann. II was
tested out side by side with twelve
Inch service model gun"
lie added that the Gathmann gun
which depended upon proieetile
bursting upon contact was OF much
less efficiency that the service gun
with an armor-picrelng projectile.
Experiments Under Way.
Discussing field artillery, General
crozler said that the ordnance bureau
was at present experimenting with
field howilxeiw Of seven and half
and nine and half-inch calibrc.
These. he said, would be able to move
with mobile army. At present. he
said, the field artillery is supplied
with three and six-inch guns. OF
these. he said there ar now $50 in
present service and ordered lie ex-
poets TO increase the number to els
during the next year and he estimates
Il,Sle guns AS the maximum needed.
We think our field guns are as
good as any in the world said the
general
In ammunition FOR field guns. Cen
erai Crozicr said the department had
ISs per cent Of the estimated needed