Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-18
INVENTOR OF LEWIS GUN
TO Be WITNESS TO-DAY
Will BE Next to Appear Before SEN
ate Committee on War
Delay Inquiry.
CR0zIER FINISHES EVIDENCE
Concludes Detailed Statement OF
Ordnance System, So Far as 1t Re-
vcals Nothing Considered Mill
tary Secret.
Inx Associated pressl


WA SlI l N {; n ". December H.
Inquiry into alleged delays In supply
ing the army with Euna and tho cur
tailment or funds commended by tho
Ordnance Bureau for that purpose, was
taken Ur again to-tay In open session
by the senate Military Committee after
u two days examination Of Major
General Croaier behind closed doors.
General Crozier continued hia detailed
statement of tho ordnance system as
far as Il revealed nothing the War De-
partnent considers q military secret.
At Saturdays hearing, General
Crozicr told the committee that. while
Congress had been generous with
funds. the appropriations recommended
by tina general staff invariably were
reduced by civilian executives. and the
reduction Of ordnance was charscable
to executive action.
Senator Wadsworth asked whether
tho government should have an Of
flcer or department or similar TO Eng
lands Minister of Munitions
My own belief is that the better way
is to enlarge and strengthen existing
organizations rather than create new
ones" General Crozier replied Quicker
results have been obtained here than
by tho British organization"
Senator Hitchcock said that it
seemed there was an unusual length
OF time between appropriations and de-
liveriea, and asked whether the War
Department had considered any speed
Ing up" plan.
EFFORT To ELIMINATE
GREAT DEAL OF RED TAPE
We think and. l think, the country
thinks that there has been too much
delay, too much red tape, too :nuch
circumlocution in the department" said
Senator Hitchcock. Has any effort
been made to shorten up tho pro-
cesses?"
Yes, great deal Of red tape has
been eliminated sh id General Crozier.
General CroXicr declared there was
entirely too much red tape" in get
ting money. While al emergency ap-
preparation request for lump appro-
priation OF sa,s32.5s1 was made by the
War Department April s. the day be-
fore war was declared. II was June be-
foro Congress made appropriations un-
der tho estimates.
But you had millions of dollars left
of appropriations mad. a year BEFORE"
interrupted Chairman Chamberlain. II
have not been entirely satisfied with
any explanation made OF this matter
For instance. you had money appro-
priated for machine guns. and you
haven't the guns yet. We appropriated
for small arms, and you spent the
money for pistols instead OF rifles"
NOT SLOWED UT IN LEAST
ON ACCOUNT OF RIFLES
We were far shorter Of pistols than
rifles" General Crozier answered. we
are not going to be slowed up in this
war in the slightest degree on account
OF rifles"
Il don't think the country will be
satisfied with that explanation" Senu-
tor Chamberlain insisted. we need
rihes for target practice and training
purposes and in the Held"
How prospective appropriations by
CONGRESS- were anticipated WAS recited
by General CroZier. For instance. he
said orders were placed for s,o00,00O
rounds Of ammunition early last spring
before any funds were available. lie
detailed how many new factories that
had never before made gun forgings
were given large contracts, to increase
ordnance production.
"Wo have placed orders OF more than
sl,5o0,o0o,000 since the var began"
General Crozier explained. citing the
magnitude OF operations. THAT is
more than 30 per cent over the entire
governments expenses for any year
since the Spanish war
OUR COAST DEFENsEs
SUPERIOR TO EUROPE:'s
Regarding American coast defcEsos,
Senator Frelinghausen asked if the
coast artillery and dcfenscs are OF the
proper type and able to cope with any
alta cking force. submarine or other
wise, and if they are as effective as
those Of European nations.
Yes" replied General Crogier with
emphasis. For the last ten or fifteen
years our coast defenSes have been
superior to those Of any nation OF
Europe. Our guns arc more than
adequate"
our requirements for high e1plo-
sivcs in France will lie met: our sup
ply Is satisfactory. and vigorous steps
arc being taken to increase production
of explosives" said General Crozier
I