Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-12-22

England and were entered, over my
protests. by my associates. who pre-
ferred to fire American ammunition.
Did the Browning gun break IN
tests?" asked Senator Hitchcock.
Certainly" was the reply. Il wasn't
present I wasn't invited to see the
test. but any gun breaks in a test
Given an Opportunity
"Then Gen. crozier did give you an
opportunity, at test, to present your
gum" asked Senator Hitchcock.
Yes; but my son, who represented
me, had a hard time at tho department:
At that time no guns had been turned
out at the British factory
The 1913 test was premature, against
his Judgment, said Col Lewis. but he
did not regard the outcome as faliure
for his gun.
was then, not a change made, said
Col. Lewis, declaring Gen. Crozfer mad
adopted various different types OF ma
chine guns, spending millions on the
All the other experts believe the
Browning is the best gun developed.
and you are the only one against
Them" Senator Hitchcock suggested.
Col. Lewis replied that the experts
Browning.
Charges 1nefHc1ency.
Declaring the ordnance department
was hopelessly inefficient, Col. Lewis
said:
ITS not so much Crozier as Crozier-
ism. The ordnance bureau is one-man
machine I had the same trouble Win
Gen. Crozer's predecessor
stop there a minute. Before you go
any further" senator weeks a1k. OF A. MAS las,
mean by the ring? I think you are
talking in a desultory way and not &C
curately. You are loquacious. Let's
get down to facts"
meant the Army machine He dis
claimed intimating that there was any
venaI trouble, any personal dishonesty.
saying:
than money.
Gen. Crozier. he explained. had sought
to build up personal power-a personal
machine-ordnance bureau.
E.E. Boric Gives Testimony.
E. E. Borie. manufacturing head of the
Savage Arms Company. the American
makers of the Lewis gun. told of the gov
ernInent's reluctance to adopt that weapon
When the Mexican border trouble began
Mr. Evrie said he offered l.5oo Lewis guns
to the War Department. but got an order
for only $50 to use British ammunition.
Before the United States entered the
war he offered Lewis guns to the war
Department and was refused orders. but
got them from the Navy department.
Mr.. Borie said.
Il went to the War Department in
February" he said, but they could do
nothing until after the tests ordered for
Nav when the new Browning gun was
adopted. The Navy Department also did
not want to place any order at that time
until after the War Departments tests.
but did order some gun mounts.
Test Success; Guns Ordered.
after the war broke out we again
offered guns to the War Department
and were told the tests would be waited.
The Navy Department and Marine
Corps, however. ordered a special test.
They didn't want to wait for the War
Department tests. and we had test
for the Navy April S. 1t was successful.
Admiral Earle and Gen. Barnett stated.
The test was so successful that the
Navy ordered on April 20 $500 guns
inside of three weeks"
On April II. he said. the War Depart
ment ordered 1900 Lewis guns to use
with American ammunition. before the
official test was held. ION the strength
of the Navy test"
If the War Department had accepted
for manufacture Mr.. Borfe said. 1t could
have had 10000 more machine guns early
in the war.
Crozier's Statements Denied.
Statements by Gen. Crozier and pri-'
waite machine gun manufacturers that
the Lewis gun does not synchronize
through aircraft propellers were denied
by Mr.. Bowie. Assertions also that the
Lewis gun cannot be successfully used
with American ammunition, Mr.. Borie
said, he desired to nail as an absolute
falsehood."
The ordnance bureaus business sys-
tenn was sharply criticized by Mr..
Borie.
1--WE ought to have director Of mu-
nitions," he said, "a big broad-minded
man, a herman, not a pussyfoot. Until
you do that you'll never get anywhere"
Gen. Sharpe Blames Red Tape.
Testifying yesterday afternoon, Gen.
Sharpe, the quartermaster general.
blamed red tape in the War Depart
ment for many delays. He said he had
suggested to Secretary Baker many
changes to secure modern business
methods.
Regarding the present army ration.
which, Gen. Sharpe said, costs 40 cents
a day as compared with 20 cents before
the war, he declared that It's success
in building up men to "go over the top"
has Been demonstrated, and he protested
against agitation from the surgeon