New-York tribune., 1917-12-23
u. s. Scorned Intentions,
Colonel Lewis Declares

was the principal witness tO-V"S ~
che Senate committee investigating the
conduct Of the war
General Crozior's statement that
France has a surplus Of war materia'
from which American troops can tenn
porarilv be supplied was characterized
bv Lewis as simply astounding" Any
,hing that General Pershing gets from
France. he declared, simply is q saerl-
fee.
In machine gun fighting, Lewis de-
elared. British ammunition was quite
pc effective as American. His gun, he
said. can be and is being adapted for
any ammunition. Germans have capt
ured and used them by reehamber'ng'
When asked how many Lewis guns
are being used BY the British Lewis
said that in the recent British drive
10000 were on the front.
Germans Wanted Lewis Gun
rovis declared that in July, 1914, a
,,aaL haforo the war broke out, the
German government had arranged TO
tost the gun, but that he called 1t on
Germany. he said, has no satisfactory
tvDe Of light machine gun, using q
very heavy rapid frer. A Danish modl-
fcation Of the Vickers type is used py
German aviators. C-,.oI
Lewis said there should be lOO,OOo ma
chine guns, fifty for each 1000 men
To keep up the supply l5,OVO onghV 10
be made annually, he said. freseh1
American factories, he said, nave d
canacitv Of $1,000 or 10000. In the
British army alone, he said, over oOO'-
600 men are under instruction cohllhu-
ally with Lewis guns. ,.t
General Leonard Wood, when chlei
Of staff, favored adoption OF the Lewis
GUN. the witness said, and he lnslsteu
that General CroZier alone IS respOh-
sible for preventing the adoption OF 6he
GUN. He declared the Ordnance bu,
Teau was a "one-man machine ana
said General Crozier had used hls once
for personal malice against a man not
IN the 'ring.' Mr.. Lewis said he did not
think the Ordnance Department was
corrupt. but hopelessly inefficient.
RESPONDING TO other questions, Lewis
charged that General Crozler's attl-
tu6e toward him was due both TO per-
scnal and professional prejudice
Lewis told Of his range finder, when
the government adopted many years
ago. He said General Crozier opposed
n. but a special board had IL adopted.
Declares Baker Not Prejudiced
Under protest to Secretary Baker
against General Crozier's order against
using the Lewis gun for ground work IN
France. Colonel Lewis said the Secre-
tary had promised TO investigate It. ana
exhibited no prejudice at all against
the Lewis weapon.
Colonel Lewis said that in his opinion
the German Mauser rife ranks hrst,
The American Springfield second. the
French rife third, and the British
fourth. but that for all around present
war purposes the British rifle IS next
20 the German. He asserted that the
War DEPARTMENTS order adopting the
modified Enfield rife was colossal
blunder." because time so essential IN
producing rifles then badly needed by
the nations forces WAS lost IN modlIy-
ing the Enfield. Referring TO his oiier
10 return his royalties on united states
government purchases OF Lewis guns,
Colonel Lewis said he did not knew unIil
Secretary Baker verbally told nm TWO
weeks ago that his checks sent Iast
February for about $lIOOO. represent
ing royalties on $50 guns bought dur,
ing the Mexican border trouble, had
been accepted.
81 have had no word Of appreciation
from my government in thlrty-elght
Lewis said. Il have offered TO give my
rights Of 80 per cent in the royalties
unreseryedly TO the government, and
I'm going TO give my royalties on thls
governments purchases back 10 the
Government whether they accept II or
not I'm going 10 get II OF my heart
md conscience" lie added that pres
ent contracts aggregate S2,5OO,OOO.
L. $. Officials Spurned Offer
Colonel Lewis told the Senator'S that
ne did not first offer his weapon 10 the
Rritish but that while still an active
nacer in the army he tried without
avail to persuade the war department
10 accept it free Of cost.
Colonel Lewis said he took his inven-
.;on 40 the chief Of stah, then Major
General Leonard Wood.
81 wanted 10 present il 70 the gov
.xo,,ert" he said. "Even last June
7 went 10 the pre- sent Secretary Of War
and offered him all my interests with
- anv emoluu ent- The only condi-
tion. which I think was fair, was that
the official test should not be made at
the Springfield arsenal" ..
when Senator Hitchcock asked II
nny others were interested in his gun
and II they had offered their interests
10 the government. Colonel Lewis said
stockholders Of the Automatic Arms
Company, who backed his early patent,
were interested.
did they offer their interests7" he
was asked.
"My offer wasn't even eonsiderei," /"
Colenel Lewis protested. 1T was
turned down fat"
A letter dated December IL last, re-
newirg his offer OF his gun 20 SCere-
tary Baker. was read by Colonel Lewis
In u he offered also 70 turn over all
Of his share-4S per eent--of all rcy-
alties, aggregating S2.oO0,Oo0 under ex-
isting contracts. In the letter Colonel
Lewis protested against alleged injus-
tee Of statements by Secretary Baker
IDgarding the gun. lie cited the sue
cess the British had had with his arm,
and declared that Of twelve Zeppelins
brought down BY the British, ten were
bagged with the Lewis gun.
Il want Il understood that was and
am ready 20 give my cheek TO the Sec
rotary for my royalties or my interest
in the patents" he said, stating he had
offered his gun repeatedly in 1911, 1872
and often afterward.
81 kept il alive" he said.
How he seat his checks for Sll ,0e0
and 5000 Of royalty receipts 10 the
Secretary on certain contracts was de-
tailed by Colonel Lewis.
Says Crozler Turned Him Down
General Crozier promptly advised
its rejection" he said.
Asked why be was Willing % give bis