The Washington times., 1917-12-17


satisfy me-" said Chamberlain. you
had money for machine guns, but you
haven't got a machine gun: you had
s5.OOO.OOO for rifles, but you spent It
for pistols
Needed Pistols Most.
Yes, because we are shorter OF
pistols than we are Of rifles" came
back Crozier. 81 repeat that the
army won't be delayed an instant in
getting to the front by lack o;
rifles"
Under a close fire OF questions,
Crozier said that only 100000 shells
for the mobile artillery, out OF a
program of $4,000. 90 have been de-
iivered. The 100000 were to be
finished by July 1, 1915, the end OF
the present fiscal year.
Astounded by this revelation, Sena-
tors closely examined General Croker
on reported clashes OF authority be-
tween officers within the department,
and an alleged habit of the depart
ment to discourage inventions by men
outside OF the department.
The paper Endorsement" system.
within the department, under which
officers are obliged to write out the
simplest questions they wish to ask
each other. came under fire. General
Crozier said he was attempting to
reform this system.
Industries BOARD Delays.
General Crozier was questioned as
to how much delay was occaSioned by
having to submit contracts to the war
industries board.
Generally the contracts have gone
through the industries board prompt
~" he answered. But he cited one
instance where a batch Of contracts.
negotiated by his department, had
been submitted to the war industries
board. Nothing having been heard
from the board at the end OF two
weeks, he began letting the con-
tracts without the boards approval
The board felt that 1t was not in
a position to pass on the contracts
because il had not been present at
the negotiations.
General Crozier said his department.
had let contracts for 81 500. OOO, 900.
which was as much as the country's
Industries could digest The re-
naming $500. 100000 available is
being expended as fast as possible,
he said.
Asked as to how rapidly the con-
tracts are being filled. General Gro
zier cited one instance. on December
I. he said, STS.OOO,OOO worth of shells
for mobile artillery had been let. By
December 10, he said. S2.OOO.OOO worth
one fortieth-had been delivered.
Efforts for Speeding Up.
Answering Senator Hitchcock, who
asked il any effort had been made to
speed up the War Department, Gen
eral Crozier said that every effort
had been made. but pointed out that
his department was scattered all over
Washington, and considerable delay
resulted thereby in the workings Of
his department.
THE people think that the old system
OF multiple endorsements. and red tape
ought to be eliminated and n centralized
authority established" said Senator
r'reylinhuysen. Are European govern
ments using such methods as We are?'
General Crozier said he did not know.
Senator wadsworth demanded to
know why American guns were not
made so that ammunition could
easily be exchanged with the allies.
Are not the fTenCn -tu ullllnelor
guns very similar to the new Amer
lean g.15-inch design" he asked.
Very similar" said Crozier.
And the French have had many
shells made in this country
Yes"
But nevertheless, We cannot
change ammunition because Of very
slight differences"
No"
should we not have made our
guns. which were started after the
French ores, just like theirs
Much To he Said.
There Is much to be said on both
sides
Then we have no uniformity with
our allies on heavy artillery"
That covers the case"
you think our gun is so superior
I