Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-12-22
LEWIS PUTS
CONTINUED from Page one)


was before a gun had ever been
on an airplane either here or
abroad. General Crozier, however.
protested and refused to furnish am
munition. I did not feel like buying
two thousand rounds Of ammunition
and the gun was not tried out"
CANNOT EQUIP MEN.
Colonel Lewis declared that q year
hence the United States would not
have a million men on the European
fronts, because our supply system can't
arm and equip them.
Despite statements Of American
manufacturers who claim the Brown
ing gun is the best because they are
making profit out of it," Lewis said. it
will be impossible to develop the gun
as to interchangeability of parts un-
der ten months.
The Browning gun, Lewis SAID was
only a picture. Pigment Of magma
ton"
That General Crozier had spent
millions trying out the Bennett Mer-
cier machine gun, which later was dis
carded, was charged by Lewis.
Lewis said he once went over Gro
Tiers head and offered his gun to Gen.
eral Wood. then chief of staff. At the
meeting of the Notifications board, of
which Wood was chairman, Wood was
absent and Crozier. ex-ofricio officer.
presiding again turned him down.
OPPOSED HIS INVENTIONS.
He then cited eight different ord
nance inventions Of his own which
Crozier had opposed.
"A range finder for coast artillery
which invented, was opposed by Gro
zier but finally was adopted by a spe-
cial board" said Lewis.
Disguised at his failures here. Lewis
said he went to Europe to live in 1918.
Il was done with the United States"
he said.
Then he recited how a little group OF
Belgian bank ers had backed his gun;
how he had discovered two German
ammunition makers among the direc-
tors of the Belgian company and how
after "a merry row." these directors
had been ousted."
After disposing of the Belgian rights.
he said he went to England and in 4S
hours he had his gun sent to the Bir-
mingham Arms company. which to-
Gay, ID turning oul low liCiSh . oAo
and 800 airplane guns each week for
the British army.
OFFERED ROYALTIES.
When offering his guns to the United
States government Lewis said he Of
fered' the royalties on all bought. Once
he said he sent a check to Secretary
Baker, covering royalties on 353 guns
originally made for Great Britain, but
taken over by the United States. This
check he said, was finally accepted.
but it's receipt never acknowledged.
THE way know it was accepted
he said. lis that my bank told me So.
What prompted you to make this
offer to the government in the first
place and keep it alive ever since?
asked Senator Mcclellan.
That's a bard question to answer"
said Lewis. II told a friend of mine
about my latest offer before made II
and he said 1t was a very handsome
and patriotic thing to do. I asked him
II that was what he really thought ant
he said no. l said he thought l was
a fool and he agreed he does.
Il guess my reason is largely psy-
Geological. The government has per.
secuted me and l want to pay the gov.
eminent in good hard money that I've
earned"
POOLING GOVERNMENT.
| Gun manufacturers sponsoring thu
Browning machine gun are 'foolini
the government" A. E. Borie of TIN
Savage Arms company told the com
mittee today. Borie's company make
the Lewis gun. adopted by the allies.
The Browning gun looks good enough
on paper, he testified. but "nobod
knows what it will do" Manufactur
ers who say 1t is peerless arm. tn
best in the world" he added. ar
fooling not only themselves, but tn
government.
Mr. Hansen of the Colt compan
who testified before you that quantit
delivery Of the Browning guns is t
begin soon, is mistaken, in my opinion
All the manufacturers who think the
will soon begin producing Brownin
guns in large quantities are going t
fall down.
"If you'll investigate a contract takel
by one company for several thousan
Viekers guns, many months ago, you'll
find they haven't all been delivered"
Borie said his company declined I
make the Browning gun, even after
had officially been adopted by the gov
, eminent as the CHIEF machine gun 70
the American army.
OFFICIALS CRITICIZED.
He sharply criticized war depart
ment officials for the changing Of thei
minds so often.
They never knew what the
wanted" he declared '"They told IN
last August there would be no NOR
Lewis guns made after next July. Fiv
weeks later they ordered thousand
, more. enough to keep my plant bus
all next year. Then. in November. the
changed their minds again and force
me to change my whole equipment
make Lewis air craft guns instead {
. the trench guns they had ordered"
!, This policy of vacillation an
changed orders" Borie said. had col
II he