Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-12-23
BITTERNESS
CONTINUED from Page One)
ton of the railroad situation I
country over.
RESULTS THUS FAR.


asked tonight to sum up their impress
sions Of the several inquiries. gave
their views OF what had been develop
ed thus far.
The military investigation has
shown beyond question that the war
department did not avail itself of from
$1,000 to $4,000 machine guns it might
have had, because the Browning gun
had been purchased for more than ST.
900, 600.
This gun has never had a field test.
All the machine guns Pershing's army
has We're furnished by France, and
cantonments in this country have
few French guns with two makes OF
ammunition guns.
Foresight of rifle makers who saw
the war coming before the war de-
partment did, has resulted in insuring
rapid and continuous rifle production
from now on, although there was much
delay because of official hesitation to
decide on minor changes in rifle de-
sign. This official hesitation, coupled
with departmental red tape. caused a
long delay in furnishing initial ship
ments of rifles, 80 that thousands of
men in cantonments are still without
! arms.
NO ARTILLERY DELIVERED.
Artillery delivery has not yet begun
and there Is no assurance when it will
begin in quantity. For many months
to come the American army abroad
must depend on France for artillery.
Thousands Of troops in environments
have been given shoes and overcoats
too small for them and months passed
4 u%A -
correct the condition.
The council Of national defense has
virtually taken over the purchasing
power of the quartermaster department
and has delayed some deliveries In the
interest Of getting lower prices.
Red tape causes all contracts, re-
quests for action on important matters
and decisions of policy affecting var
ious bureaus and departments, to be
sent through half a dozen different Of
fices before decisions are had and &C
ton begun.
JEALoUslEs ARISE.
Personal and professional jealousies
have arisen and, according to testi-
mony have prevented adoption of in
ventions and devices later proved of
great value.
Sugar inquiry has disclosed that a
bitter feud Of long years standing
among refiners has been continued
since the food administration took
over the regulation of the sugar bust
ness last October.
The beet sugar farmers of the ives,
are refusing to plant beets because
they declare they are not being given @
living price" for their beets.
The cause OF the sugar shortage ha.
not been put on any one factor. 1t has
been blamed on submarines, prohibi-
ton, lack of cars, price regulating by
the food administration, boarding by
refiners and last summers cannint
campaign Of the department Of agri
culture.
HURLEY IN CONTROL.
The shipping investigation revealed
that Chairman Hurley, of the ship,
ping board had discarded bylaw
under which the board and the emer
gency fleet corporation operated in
dependently as to authority and re
sponsibility, and conferred in himsel
complete control OF both bodies witt
the responsibility for construction an,
operation of ships.
The work of shipbuilding has gon
on steadily. In the opinion of Chair
man Hurley and his aides, progress
, from now on will be steady and salts
factory.
Investigators point out that the fig
ures submitted by the shipping boar
y showed the value Of the reorganizatio
there and pointed the way to putin
the war department on bushes
basis. instead Of letting It be run b
: military tradition.
DRAMATIC SESSION.
The testimony of Colonel Lewis to
day before the military affairs com
mittee, furnished the most dramati
session of the inquiry.
Lewis. frankly hostile to Genera
Crozier declared "Crozierism" is ham
? pering war preparations. "by putin
partisan politics above patriotism an
. allowing professional and person;
o jealousy to dictate matters of policy
!, y Crozier, he declared. is primarily re
l. sponsible for the lack of rifles, machin
guns and ordnance which forced tn
American army to beg from Franc
Lewis said Crozier has been film
flamming the war department and til
: country for 10 years.
Repeating the story of the rejectio
q of his gun, which he had offered I
e this country without profit, he toll
how 1t has become "the best killo
in