Arizona republican., 1916-01-27
Gen. Crozier Opposes Gov ernment Owned Arms Plant Project; Gives Sen ators Figures On Military Necessities
Republican A. p. Leased Wire1

tRepubitcan A. p. Leased Wirel
 WASHINGTON, D. C.. Jan 26.-Es- inmates were given the senate mili- tary committee today by Brigadier General Crozier, chief of ordnance. showing that a plant costing $90O.- 00O,OO0 operated by a force of 750,OOO Workmen would be required to manu- facture ammunition and war mater ials necessary to keep an army of million men in the field and equip an additional million recruits.
 General Crozier strongly disap- proved any proposal for government monopoly of the manufacture of war supplies, insisting that best results could be accomplished by relying upon private establishments to supplement the output of government plants in time of war
 The committee received today from Secretary Garrison q draft of ten tative measure suggested by Senator Chamberlin, chairman of the commit tee, which would provide for the authorization for the proposed conti- mental army in general terms only leaving the details of the proposed system to be worked out by war de- partment regulations. The original l draft of a bill submitted by the war | department, contained an outline of the entire system MT. Garrison ! pointed out to the congressional com | mittees when he appeared before | them, however, that as the plan 1 largely was an experimental one, it would be wise to give the president wide discretionary powers to meet problems which only could be solved | in the light of experience yet to be | gained.
 Senator Chamberlain has prepared a tentative bill dealing only with in creases for the regular army. and | it is assumed the general authority i contemplated in the brief section sub 1 mitted today by the secretary is in tended to be inserted into the Cham berlain bill. It provides that men of , the continental army shall receive not more than three months training in any year while serving with the colors. or more than six months train l ing in all during their three years of active duty.
 1 General CrOzier amplified today tes-
 timony already presented before the l house committee to show the made quacy of present reserve stores for | the army. Ordnance equipment for an army of 290,000 has been as-
 sembled. and the country is in bet ter position in this respect than al any time since the close of the civil war, he said but even this gives nc
 security in view of the time required
 to produce guns and ammunition ir
 the quantities the European war had shown to be necessary.
 Only powder has been delivered tc the European belligerents in any con- | siderable quantities up to this time by American plants, General CrozieI explained, although orders for many kinds of weapons and ammunition
 were placed more than year ago The largest orders, he said, were fol military rifles, and while 100000 ol | so old pattern weapons already haC
 been sent abroad. none of the many hundreds of thousands of modern rifles
 ordered had yet been delivered Ar | lilltly dIllllluiiiNlOll, lt dNhtu, NOulN
 not start abroad in bulk for some time and the number of small calibrt
 field batteries already delivered haC not been large.
 | Pointing out that practically all the
 public and large private muncipa
 plants of the United States are To-
 cated close to the Atlantic seaboard
 and within striking distance by ar
 enemy in case of invasion. the gen
 eral urged that some provision bt
 made by congress to foster develop
 ment of private plants in future il
 the interior.
 Brigadier General Weaver, chief o | coast artillery, also reviewed before | the committee statements previousl, presented to the house committee
 While the fixed coast defenses of thu
 United States are the best in thu
 world, he said they are inadequatel,
 named and some provision is neces
 sary also for protection of the coas
 line between permanent forts b,
 means of mobile artillery of heav,
 calibre.
 Before the military and naval com