Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-12-31

and automatic rifles. The French go'
ernment, Crozier said. displayed tn
same willingness to supply maehin
guns as artillery.
| Crozier said the charge that his d.
patment turned down the offer of Col
machine guns by stating it was "no
interested I" was only partly true
''We had at that time spent all bu
81 100000 of ur available money fo
types of guns proved most adaptable, ,
said Grozier. "The Col gun was gotn,
out of use. General Pershing neve
asked for them, though we asked hin
if he wanted them.
General Pershing's Advice.
General Pershing cabled us to pusl
manufacture of Vickers guns and said
until the new Browning guns are ready
American troops abroad should be
equipped with Vickers, Hotchkiss and
French type guns"
Replying to the charge that too much
time was lost in making the modified
Lee Enfield rifle interchangeable,
Crozier showed the committee parts of
the rifle and explained why it was
considered important to have them in
terchangeable.
In this connection he read a letter
from an unnamed commander of ma.
tional army camp.
Replies Are Plentiful
FfThere has been no delay in this
damp through lack of rifles" wrote
the commander "Machine guns and
automatic rifles reached the camp be-
fore the men were ready to use them.
''It is my opinion that the troops
will be equipped and trained before
ships are ready to transport them to
Europe"
Rifles now are available for every
man in camp, Crozier continued. He
said the lack of rifles, testified to by
three camp commanders, was due to
the failure of the railroads to deliver
them.
"We should be permitted to go
ahead when we see the need for ac-
tion," he declared.
"You said there are $500 Lewis
guns in this country said Senator
Hitchcock. ''Where are they7"
"Some in camtonments hnd some in
storage at Springfield arsenal" re-
piled Crozier.
How long have they been in stor-
age?" asked Senator McKellar.
''We began to get them some time
in Septemger,' said Crozier.
Where the Guns Are.
Senator Chamberlain said "the i'm
plication had geen raised," that a
great number of Lewis guns are in
storage in this country. "Now where
are they9" demanded Chamberlain.
'FCamp commanders have testified they
have not seen machine guns.
Crozier said each of 16 national
army camps had twenty Lewis guns
shipped to it. The fifteen national
guard camps have mad shipped to them
770 guns. This made total of 1000
Lewis guns shipped of total of $500
available.
"Its a practice to keep on hand a
certhin number of these weapons as re-
serve for an emergency" said
Crozier.
Crozier Outlines Program.
Crozier read memorandum he sub
mitted to Bake in August, 1916, out
lining his program.
In that he urged that half of the
$l2,000,000 congress had been asked
for, be used to buy Vickers guns The
other half, he advised, should be used
10 place orders subsequent to test of
a large number of guns which had been
arranged for November l.
ono official action was taken on
that program" said Crozier. "Secre-
tary Baker appointed a board which
advised spending all the money for
Vickers guns This was delayed by the
Lewis gun peoples protest.
"The board was reconvened to hear
Lewis plea, but all of the money but
81 100000 was. spent by December l on
Vickers guns"
"There s no essential difference be-
tween Bakers program and yours,
then9" asked Wadsworth.
''Except I would have bought two
Vickers guns at once, in
August, 1916, in other WORDS instead
of in December"
ordered in December, 19l6?" asked |
"'We're sending all those manufac-
tured this month to the French for use
in aviation, at their request" replied
Crozier.
Wadsworth sharply questioned Croz-
ier concerning statement that if he
were choosing between the Lewis and
Colt guns, he d buy Colts. Crozier had
stated the Colt had proved more reli
able in service than the LeLwis gun.
''Is the general feeling throughout
he army9" asked Wadsworth.
"Many officers agree with me-"
'aid Crozier.
"And many line offices with whom
have talked have told me they were
enthusiastic about the performance of
he Lewis gun,' said Wadsworth.