South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-01-27
GIVE FIG j RES ON
COST OF WAR PLANT
Brig. Gen. CrOzier Show S
$500, 100000 Needed to
Supply 1000, 900 Men.

WASHINGTON. Jan. 27.-Esti-
mates were given the senate military
committee Tuesday by Brig. Gen.
Crozier, chief Of ordinance. showing
that a plant costing S400. 100000
operated by force Of 10000 work
men would be required to manu-
facture ammunition and war mate
rails necessary to keep an army Of
a million men in the field and equip
an additional million recruits.
Gen. Crozier strongly disapprcved
any proposal for government mo-
uopoly of the manufacture of war
supplies. insisting that best results
could be accomplished by relying
l. ON private establishments to sup
plement the output of government
plants in time of war.
The committee received Tuesday
from Sec'y Garrison a draft of a
tentative measure suggested by
Chairman Chamberlain which would
provide for the authorization of the
proposed continental army in gen
eral terms only, leaving the detail of
the proposed system to be worked
out by war department regulations
Gen. CrOzier amplified Tuesday the
testimony already presented before
the house committee to show the in
adequacy of present reserve stores
for the army. Ordinance equipment
for an army Of 100000 has been as
sembled and the country is in better
position in this respect than at any
time since the close of the civil war,
he said. but even this gives no Sc
curity in view Of the time required
To produce guns and ammunition in
the quantities the European war
had shown to be necessary. This
he pointed out. had been sharply IL
Illustrated by the experience of Eu-
rnpean buyers in the American mu-
nitious market.
Only Powder Delivered.
only powder has been reliVered 20
the European belligerents in any
considerable quantities up 10 this
time by American plants. Gen. Gro
zier explained, although orders fol-
many kinds of weapons anG ammU-
milton were placed more than a year
ago. The largest orders. he said
were for military rifles. and while
100000 or so old pattern weapons
already had been sent abroad none
Of the many hundreds of thousands
Of modern rifles ordered had yet
heen delivered Artillery ammuni-
ton he added. would not start
abroad in bulk for some time and
the number of small calibre field
batteries already delivered had not
been very large.
Pointing out that virtually all the
public and large private munition
plants Of the United States are To-
Gated close to the Atlantic seaboard
and within striking distance by an
enemy in case of an invasion, the
general urged that some provision
be made by CONGRESSES TO foster de-
velopment of private plants in fu-
ture in the interior.
Coast Defenses Need Men.
Brig. Gen Weaver. chief OF coast
artillery. also reviewed before the
committee statements previously
presented to the house committee
While the fixed coast defenses OF
the United .Staes are the best In tho
world. ne said. they are inadequately
manned ard some provision is nee
essarv also for protection of the
coast line between permanent forts
by means OF mobile artillery 81
heavy caibre.
BEFORE the military and ma a
committees Of the house today the
condition OF the country as 10 druS'
" hioh would be necessary in grea'
quantity in wartime was brought on
by the surgeon generals Of the army
and navy. Both agreed that sup
plies or quinine anc opium nigh
be- completely shut off If the United
states became involved in war and
that great stores OF these drugs
should be accumulated in times OF
peace. surgeon Gen. Gorgas, OF the
army. said that certain drug sup
plies were being obtained from Ger
many and Austria sub rosa but ht
did not go into details. He said that
The army was not equipped with re-
cerve medical stores TO last a force