Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-12-18
CROZIER SAYS RED
TAPE DELAYS ARMY
CONTINUED From Page -

than $1,5o o,ooo,ooo since the war be.
gam" General Crozier explained, cit.
ing the magnitude of operations
"That is more than so per cent in ex.
cess of the entire governments ex.
penses for any year since the Spanish
war"
cRozlER's REPORT is BRIEF.
Army ordnance conditions at the
beginning of the present fiscal year
are treated only briefly by General
Crozier in the annual report Of his
bureau, made public today. Since the
report was written, General Crozier
has furnished the senate military COM
mittee a much more complete record
of what has been done to arm the
forces in France or under training in
the United States.
The report shows that up to June
80 orders have been placed for 1.000,-
900 Enfield rifles. details for the re-
chambering Of the British standard
gun for American ammunition having
been completed June 1.
FRENCH MODEL FOLLOWED.
On the machine gun situation Gen
er4l Crozier says that several types
VI "oopOuo NAVE UcCu AOuuu ClhSACAt
by the machine~gun board but that
procurement Of an adequate supply
was a question of securing deliveries.
1t Is shown in the report that all
American field guns are to be similar
in calibre to the French Seventy
fives" which have been so much dis
cussed since the war began. The
French se1ni-automatic breech me-
chanism also has been adopted in
modified form, so that American and
French batteries in France can be
served from the same ammunition
factories. Anti.aircraft guns Of the
"seventy-five" type also have been
adopted.
BIG GUNS DELAYED.
Both these and the machine guns
are under manufacture in quantities.
the report says. The production Of
large calibre mobile artillery, that is.
weapons of the type of the German
forty-two ,centimeter guns. appears to
be the chief source of delay in the
armys equipment. General Crozier
says a process of supplying the
troops with these guns necessarily
will be slow and disappointing, al
though every advantage has been Ia
ken of the assistance secured from
abroad.
FASTER THAN ENGLAND.
Senator Wadsworth asked whether
the government should have an officer
or department similar to England's
of munitions !,
"My own belief is that the better
way is to enlarge and strengthen ex-
listing organizations rather than Gre
ate new ones,' General Crozier re-
Piled Quicker results have been OBJ
tanned here than by the British or.
sanization."
1--WE think and I think. the whole
country thinks, that there has been
too much delay. too much red tape,
too much circumlocution in the de-
partment," said Senator Hitchcock.
Has any effort been made to shorten
up the processes
COULD BALk COAST ATTACK.
"Yes. great deal of red tape has
been eliminated said General Gro
zier.
Regarding American coast defense
Senator Frelinghuysen asked:
1.-THE country wants to know wheth.
IT our COdSI dILliIcty duu uSleuStS
ire Of the proper type and able to
cope with any attacking force, sub
marine or otherwise. Is it as effec- ,
i've as those OF European nations"
eyes" replied General Crozier with
emphasis. For the last ten or fif-
cen years and now our coast defenses
AVE been superior to those of any
ration Of Europe. Our guns are more
han adequate
TANKS FOR PERsHING.
'Our requirements for high explos.t
yes in France will be met: our sup
Wy is satisfactory and vigorous stems !
re being taken to increase produc-
ion of explosives" said General
?rozier
He disclosed that steps had been |
AIKEN to equip American forces with |
anks similar to the new British ma !
hines but smilingly refused to go in
o details.
Have we taken steps for equipping !
With bombs, hand grenades, and other |
lew-fangled things?" asked Senator
The ordnance chief again answered ,
fir. stively.