The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-12-14
CRQzIFR bLAMfS
CONTINUED from First Pase.)


enemies OF the United States would
rather know than the exact extent and
comprehension OF the ordnance pro-
gram Again and again. he said. he
has refused to answer questions of
correspondents on the ground that the
answer would give valuable military
ir formation. At other times he an
swered questions with request that
his answer be kept confidential.
He characterized report that the
war department had purchased $50
Lewis machine guns as way below the
actual number. He explained that
about this number of Lewis guns had
been purchased at the time of the
Mexican mobilization and indicated
that hundreds, II not thousands more
OF these weapons had since been pur-
chased or contracted for
The Browning Gun.
In discussing the Browning gun ne
stated It was the invention of the
american who has made more inven-
tons of firearms than any other" Mr.
Baker admitted that the piece had
never been tested In actual field serv-
| Ice and that 1t has only recently been
available In quantities. Fe stated
howeVer. that the tests made by the
| joint arny-navy board on the sample
! guns had been exhaustive in tina ex.
treme, and indicated that the report
of this board hed been so enthusiast
tic aH to leave the usefulness OF the
Browning in no doubt.
I Mr.. Baker refused 10 discuss the ado.
Quacy of tho supplies in detail. He
| said that he would prefer to have un.
just criticism stand against the de.
partment rather than to have any value
Of the enemy made public. He made
IT clear that he in no way question:
the right of the fisdom OF the inquir,
by the senate committed. but indl.
Gated that II the committee insists ppor
details they will have TO be sives
behind closed doors
These men are entitled to tnforma.
ton, of course" said Mr.. Baker. "ant
of course they will get IT."
Seven hundred and sixty-eiRht ligh
guns are needed for diviston; 90
heavy ones For an army Of a million
men 10000 or 10000 are necessary.
out of all these have none been de
livered?' asked Wadsworth. of New
York.
"Not yet" replied General CroSier
we are relying upon the Frencl
Charchat gun. The first delivery of tn
! Brownings will be in April. Until
: then we must rely upon the Lewis an
, ChAuchat guns"
AHe AnSucnat gun Will De manUtaC
tured here and American ammunition
used until the Browninss are ready
so the testimony ran. At present tn
; Colt Armory can turn out 500 gun
I monthly. and the Lewis AYmory q
! IthlcA 1900.
Ali that was done between the tim
of the appropriation and last June I
, secure "a proper and efficient machin
. gun WAS TO hold test In Nay of thi
Ya-xr IT, Al.
cfefs I'M the Eervioe. and when war wa
declared. arrangements had been com
pieted for some Vickens guns.
Il can't understand why there wa
not az good Lewis gun here a
abroad" he said.
l. Croxf~r Rejected lewis Gan.
. General Croker Is the man who re-
j jected the Lewis gun when IL was pre-
= posed TO use II in the American arm,
Il is now almost universally used b
D the alites
I why was there such delay in tn
g test after the appropriation was made.
3 inquired Senator Mcclellan. Of Tenne.
see.
1T was up to a special board 1t wa
not by my recomm endation that II ws
delayed until spring"
How many Lewis guns were bein
delivered at the time of the war decls
ration intertected Senator Chamber
/ lain.
None WAS delivered until the su III
msr"
That wasn't because OF lack OF az
preparation ?"
No"
. General Croker said that lack OF ar
preparation did not cause the delay.
was then the charge against Sscretar
| Baker was brought out,
V Asked II this country should not HAY
y ordered machine guns last suInme
q General Croxier said Am erican factorts
,, were TANNED with allied orders Nov
ne said, British and French factori.
y had caught up and were able to max
n American supply. 7
: You don't seem TO have made prer
l. aratfon for guns even for cur ow
: troops" said Senator Hitchcock, Of NJ
|, braska.
d General Crosier said the French an
n British could supply all needed.
: Time and again senators asked
1