Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-12-17
Criticises Length Of Time to
Get Appropriations Through
for Ordnance.
TELLS OF PISTOL ORDER

two-day examination of Mag. Gen.
Crozier behind closed doors.
Gen. Crozier, who was still on the
stand today. continued his detailed state
ment of the ordnance situation as lar
as it revealed nothing the War Depart
ment considers military secret
Gen, Crozier declared there was en-
tirely too much red tape in getting
money. While an emergency appropria-
ton request for lump appropriation of
s.. .s32. .531 .000 was made by the War De-
partmeut April 5, a day before war was
declared. il was June before Congress
made appropriations under the estimates.
But YOU had millions of dollars left
of appropriations made year before.
Chairman Chamberlain.
have not been entirely satisfied with
any explanation made of this matter.
For instance, you had money appro-
priated for machine guns. ana you
haven't the guns yet. We appropriated
for small arms, and you spent the
Short of Pistols.
I'VE were far shorter of pistols than
r.hes" Gen. Crozier answered. we
an not going to be slowed up in TINS
va in the slightest degree on account
or Niles
Il Cont think the country will be salts
fed with that explanation" Senator Cham-
berlain insisted I'VE reed rifles for target
practice and training purposes and IN the
field
How prospective appropriations by Con-
f-ess were anticipated was recited oy
., Crozier. For instance, he said orders
w.Ae placed for 100000 rounds OF am
munition early last spring, before any
funds were available. He detailed now
many new factories that had never petore
made gun forgingS were given large con-
tracts, to increase ordnance production.
I'VE have placed orders of more than
81. 500. .00e. 900 since the war began,
Gen. Crozier explained. citing the mag
nitude of operations. That is more
ernment's expenses for any year since
the Spanish war"
Explains Cause of Delay.
That all. bureaus appropriation esti-
mates go to the War College and then
to the chief Of stan before they go tt
the Secretary and then to Congress vas
explained by Gen. Crozier as cause
of delay in appropriations.
Council of National Defense inject itsel1
to cause further deiay?" asked Senatol
Wadsworth-
mo. 1t does not" the ordnance head re-
piled.
Senator Wadsworth asked whether the
should have an officer or de.
partmerit similar to Engiand's minister OF
munitions.
"My own belief is that the better way
is to enlarge and strengthen existing or
ganizaticns rather than create new ones, :
Gen. Crozier replied. Quicker results
have been obtained here than by the
British organization.
Senator Hitchcock said that it seemed
.pf TINA
between appropriations and deliveries
and asked whether the War Depart
ment had considered any speeding up
1--WE think, and. l think. the country
thinks that there has been too much
said Senator Hitchcock Has any ef-
fort been made to shorten up the pro-
cesses?"
+'Yes, great deal of red tape has
been eliminated" said Gen. Crozier.
Not After Capitalization.
Gen. Crozier said he was not plead
ing now for greater Capitalization of
or responsibility. but sug-
gested minor legislation.
appropriations ought to be made
available for any purpose necessary in
the prosecution of the war" said Gen.
Crozier, who also recommended that
legal restrictions upon purchase or
of land for factories,
and other Army purposes
be removed.
"If there has been any dereIiction in
that respect. / think it has not been
due to Congress, but to failure of the
executive heads to ask Congress for
legislation" said Senator Weeks.
Again Discusses Finances.
Returning to ordnance bureau
finances, Gen. Crozier said that with
S 500. 900, 900 already spent by his de-
partment it still has about that much
more on hand.>
why is it not being spent-contract-
ed for?" asked Senator Hitchcock.
TT is" Gem Crozier replied, referring G
to the bureaus program incident to
future expenditure. Explaining the
delay necessary, Gen. CroZier cited
orders for projectiles for mobile artil-
a appropriated and orders given for 81
per cent of the appropriations by Sep
tember l. while deliveries on December
I had amounted to only s2.000,Go0. or
about one-fortieth of the total
All of the $500, 100000 remaining,
the witness said. will be ordered
against during the fiscal year.
That his bureau is in fifteen different
buildings was cited by Gen. Crozier, in
reply to statements by Senator Hitch
GERS located across the hall or on the
next floor from one another.
Delays in Field Correspondence.
Delays in Army field correspondence
were cited by Senator Wadsworth.
Army regulations he indicated, delay
both mail and kilograms. In one case
he cited a telegram was three days in
sitting through to high officer in the
against the ordnance and other bu-
reaus," Senator Frelinghuysen of New
Jersey interjected, '.is that they are
bound up in red tape by the paper sys-
of indorsements-in use for
MANY years. There is no Capitalization
of correspondence"
Gen. Crozier said he could not change
the general Endorsement system with
nut orders from higher up" but said
office efficiency experts were studying
office methods and management in his
bureau.
Coast Defenses Considered.
Regarding American coast defenses.
senator Frelinghuysen asked:
."rhe country wants to know whether
arr coast artillery and defenses are of
he proper type and able to cope with
,ny attacking force. submarine or 9TH
erWise; is 1t as effective as those of
European nations?"
"Yes," said Gen. Crozier, with en-
nhasis. For the last ten or fifteen
years and now our coast defenses have
naen superior to those OF any nation
II Europe. Our guns are more than
adequate.