Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-12-13


have told senators there has been end
less delay In providing rifles and ar
tillery for the army.
I'VE want something specific" said
Hitchcock. when Crozier resumed his
statement at the opening Of today's
session Of the war probe.
DOWN TO CASES.
I'VE want to know exactly what you
have done toward getting ready for
war. We don't want generalities.
Let's get down to cases." said Hitch
cock
Pelted by a machine gun fire from
every member Of the committee. Gro
zier declared that to give the commit
tee publicly the information 1t de-
manded would reveal military infor-
nation to the enemy.
Hitchcock, Weeks and Chamberlain
bombarded Crozier with blunt demand
why he waited from April. 1917, until
August before asking for an allotment
from the presidents $1oo.o00.00o
emergency fund.
BLAMED CONGRESS.
This was because Crozier yesterday
blamed congress- delay In appropriate
ing moneys for the delay in obtaining
ordnance.
You put responsibility for delay
upon congress and the labor situation
yesterday" said Chamh srlain.
"As a matter of fact. you hadn't
spent all the money that had been ap-
propriated for you when war was de-
clared. had your"
Some of it was unspent. but most
of it was needed to cover contracts
that had been made" replied Crozier.
II didn't intend to criticize con-
gress. The fact is that no appropria-
| ton that congress could have made
| when war was declared would have
made possible the provision of artil-
| lery now for our forces. Congress
| should have appropriated the money
three years ago to get US ready"
I'VE declared war in April; when did
you actual begin equipping the army
for war;" asked Hitchcock.
Crozier replied: Before the war. in
that we were then getting the equip
army, authorized by the act Of June s.
1916"
WAITED FOR ESTIMATES.
Chamberlain demanded why 1t took
| Crozier SO long after war was declared
to submit estimates of needed funds te
congress. If he had started work or
the first increment of the army auth
orized in 1916.
Crozier said the many checking uI
operations required by law caused the
delay. I'VE appropriated $100,000,00
as an emergency fund before the wei
was declared" said Hitchcock. why
wasn't it used?"
Chamberlain prevented an answer
by asking when did you first ash
for a share of this sum-"
The first formal request was made
in August" said Crozier.
II remember speaking about 1t onct
or twice before that time"
you got 1t as soon as you asked fol
it, didn't your asked Chamberlain.
"Yes, we got $35,00o,000," replied
Crozier.
PRE-WAR PREPARATIONS.
Senator Weeks returned to the sub
ject of pre-war preparations for con
gress.
Every man in the country antici
pated war long before 1t came" sale
Weeks. What preparations did yo'
make before the war declaration"
I'VE listed people we could get t.
work for US and made estimates o
needed material" replied Crozier.
Crozier declared every American
soldier abroad has a modern American
rifle. He angrily declared a statemen
by Senator Hitchcock that hundred
of thousands Of men in cantonment
are without rifles and therefore ar
unable to complete their training, un
true.
Thousands of men are withou
rifles" admitted Crozier. but NO
, hundreds of thousands. Rifles ar
now on the way to the cantonment
: which need them most"
Crozier said rifles we're sent to can
tonments in the ratio OF one rifle I
every three men. eaSQn in Septembe
Considerably more than one ma
y can use one rifle" said Crozier. 81
isn't convenient. of course. but 1t
I possible"
al Crozier admitted that some canton
: ments didn't get any rifles until DC
J. tober.
r The first rifles sent to cantonment
were not the modern type the arm
n will use in France, but an obsoiet
n type for which there was no ammun'
ton. This, ne said. made necessar
: postponement of target practice unit
" modern rifles could be obtained.
ONLY THE FoRERuNNER.
: It developed today that the senai
probes Of the war department and tt
;. coal and sugar situations constitu'
9 merely the forerunner Of broader an
more penetrating inquiries. Throus
senate committees engaged on variol
expenditure problems. the public wi
: learn the truth about alleged extravs
, Eance with the war chest.
. Congress-. returning from BAG
home" in critical and inauisiti'
mood. proposes to get at the truth I
e claims that too much money is spei