The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1917-12-23
CROZIER
FOR GUN LACK
IN U. S. ARMY
Col. Lewis and E. E. Borie
Say Ordnance Chief Has
Shown Ineficiency.

more than any living man, Gen.
William Crozier. chief Of ordnance, Is
responsible for the obsolete and made
ouate ordnance equipment Of our
army"
In these words. Col Isaac Newton
Lewis, inventor OF the celebrated ma
chine-gun, yesterday indicted Gen.
Crozier at the hearing before the SEN
ate Military. Affairs Committee, which
ia investigating the War Department.
Tells Dramatic Story.
"I don't care 10 tell the story Of the
Lewis gum" said the former army Of
ficer, ut Is telling its story on every
battlefield in Europe. But my two sons
are fighting with Pershing and yours
may be. too. And it's a disgrace ana
an outrage that we have no equip
ment and no artillery. except what we
must borrow from stricken France"
The story of the man who has fought
seventeen years to have his gun adopt
ed by this government was extremely
dramatic, More than once the tears
came to his eyes and he spoke vi
brantly.
.'Why do you want TO give this
money to the government" asked Sen
ator McKellar.
That's rather difficult to answer.
suppose it's psychological" answered
the 60-year-old soldier.
What do you mean?"
."welI, one of my friends asked me
the same thing, and said, You think
I'm a damn fool. don't you, and that
it's quixotic? But the truth is 1 got
my education from the United states
1 have been prosecuted;
but it's my government, after all.
Offers Royalties to Z. s.
Less than two weeks ago Col. Lewis
made an offer to the Secretary of War
to return 2,500. .000-his share of royal
ties on 10000 Lewis guns-and asked
that he be allowed to turn in all roy
alties on any guns manufactured
after January for this government.
He has received no answer.
Col Lewis asserted that army or
ders had been issued that no Lewis
guns for trench work be sent to
France. Many have been purchased
for air work. however.
But you can't defend a country
with guns on paper, and the Brown
ing can't come out for ten months.
i
men to turn out the first Lewis gun
at a cost OF 5000. co.,
What branch of the service do you
belong to?" asked Senator Chamber
lain.
II belong to the artillery-the fight
ing branch" replied the colonel.
whats the real trouble in the Ord
nance Department
ssT 80 ha -hnoI There
IA sn't been Q new development in sx-
cen years, It's rot so much crozier
Is Crozierism. It's a one-man con-
.rol. It's ring"
DO you mean graft" asked Sena-
tor Weeks.
"Oh, Senator answered Col Lewis.
not money. There are lots of kinds
of graft. Blind loyalty to bureau
judices and inefficiency are some Of
he things that hamper the work"
Denies Crozier's Statements.
The other day on the stand, Gen.
Crozier said French factories would
give this country their surplus pro-
duct.
THE statements astounding. The
French have no surplus of anything"
said Col. Lewis Everything we get
would be at the cost of the French
army"
He also contradictcd the Crozier
statement that Lewis guns are use
ess in a single-seat airplane because
IN extra man must replace the firing
lisk.
THE aviator can do It with one
hand in less than a second" said the
inventor. Ten thousand are used on
planes"
More than 10000 Lewis guns were
used at Verdun, 5000 in the big drive,
said Lewis. He also declared the Ger
mans had captured 1000 and re-
them for Mauser ammuni-
tion. Fifty guns are needed for every
|, 900 men in our army, he said.
During his long and detailed story
Of his determined fight to secure rec
ognition for his gun, he said, in Oc-
work in Europe and come back to
this country to develop his gun at
his own expense, II the government
would recognize him. He received
no such recognition. and said this
was due to the antagonism and en-
nifty of Gen. Crozier.
Preceding Col. Lewis. r. F. Rorie,
president Of the Savage Arms Com
pany. which manufactures Lewis
guns. said If the Browning 'Tell
down" his plant would be able to
change the aircraft guns it had made
back to trench weapons"