The evening herald., 1917-12-22


made AT the Springfield arsenal"
when Senator Hitchcock asked II
any others were Interested in his gun
and II they had offered their Interests
to the government. Col. Lewis said
stockholders of the Automatic Arms
Co. who backed his early pa'-nt were
Interested
Did they offer their interests. h,
WIS asked.
MY offer wasn't even considered.
Col Lewis protested 1T was turned
down fiat
\ letter dated December H. last
renewing his offer Of his gun to sec
retnry Baker was read by cot LOWS
In u he offered Also to turn over all
his share-l3 per cent OF an royal
ties. aggreeatinE s. 600 600 under cx.
istirW contracts. In the letter Col
Lewis protested alleged injustice OF
statements by Secretary Baker re-
gnrding the gun Ho cited the sue
cess the British had had with his arm
and declared that Of twelve zeppelins
brought down 10y the British ten were
5aeged with the Lewis gun.
Il want 1t understood that | was
anu an ithAf W XIV NY q AfNE " W
secretary Tor my royalties or my in
terest In the patents" he said. stat.
ing he had offered his gun repeated,
In 1911. 1919 often afterwards
The ordnance equipment of Gen
{ Pershings army. he said. Is AN cut.
rage and disgrace" the forces ar,
without enough machine guns oi
rifles. he said. and have heavy ar.
tillery only borrowed from allies,
The country woult not have nil
lion men IN France before 1919 col
LOWS declared
who Is responsihle7' he was
asked
General Crozier rs more responsi
bile for inadequate equipment Of
United States forces than any one.
After rehuIfs of his gun hy the war
department. Lewis said he went "a
Europe retiring from the United
states army "disEruntled and disgust
ed " expecting to live abroad. \
group Of Belgian bankers he contin-
ued bought the European rights to
his gun.
The Belgian company. he found In
1913. was drifting into German CON
tors He went 10 Birmingham, Eng
lann. aud In forty eight hours. he said
closed a contract with British firm.
The guns used In the Belgian ana
British tests which he said resulted
In It's acceptance az both places were
the same original four models thn'
the American government refused 70
test IN tgl2 The ammunition used
IN the british tests was Of American
| design. he SAID.
senntor Chamberlain asked why
the army should oppose the Lewis
gun ana the inventor replied
They want To kill II. TO take tn,
label OF H.
The browning gun. he character
! izcd as picture. figment II tho
/ imagination
tOrdnance manufacturers have pre-
! yiously described IL as superior t'
I anything else nov known
I ITS true IL spt through the arsena
I test. but never has been In the field.
/ Lewis continued Il have never seer
IL but my associates have"
senator Hitchcock referred 10 tn
| breaking of parts Ia the Lewis guI
Ia 1918 tests.
"Oh. yes" said Lewis, II nevel
saw any that wouldn't break ia tests
! The guns were made rushed through
IN England aud were entered. owe
! my protests by my associates con
vertcd To- fire American ammunition.
"pid the 4irowning Gun break II
the tests" atked Senator Hischcoch
certainly was the reply
wasn't invited To soc the test. but an
gun breaks In a test
Then General Crozier did give yo
AN opportunity az a test To preson
your gun p" asked senator HitchcocN
referring TO 1913 test
Yes. but my son. who represent
cd me. had q hard time at the d"
purtmcnt ~ that time NO gums ha
been turned out az the British fac
tory
The 1913 test was premature
b against his judgment Col LOWS dc
clarcd. hut he did not regard th
outcome as "a failure for his gun.
, "Tho sun is lust the same toda
lis u WIS then. not q change made.
col Lewis said declaring Gen. 'roh''
had adopted Various different Vp'
D of machine guns spending millior
{ ON the Benet Nrrcicr Ga French gun
AN the other experts believe N
browning is the best gun develop'
and YOU are the only one again
them '" Senator Hitchcock suggeste
LOWS replied that the experts wei
interested 90 manufacturing ~
browning
4 Colonel Lewis declared the or,