The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-31

Grocer said. on his own initiative and
without funds having been appropri-
atel. he bought $50 Lewis guns Tor
use with British ammunition on the
border.
Letters froln officers having charge
CT the guns criticising the Lewis guns
adversely We're proouced and General
Crozier said that in the border serv-
ice the Lewis gun was generally prov
en- inferior to the Bennett Mercfer
aud NicEeIs.
A report last January from the
army school of musketry stating that
the lewis gun, as at present devei-
oped, is not a satisfactory arm also
vas prdo iceG by General Crozier.
Pershing Wanted Vickers Guns.
When war with Germany became
imminent, General Cro2ier said he
asked tor 5,060 Lewis guns. on April
IL, he said. 1870 Lewis guns were
ordered 4,400 more on June II, and
said General Crozier, that as soon as
the Lewis was developed for use with
American ammunition large orders
We're Immediately given"
Letters from General Pershing last
summer asking for the greatest pos
were put in Evidence and General
Pershing specially asked for Lewis
guns tor aN iation. Demands ior Lewis
guns in the latter service General
Crozier said probably will result in
continued orders for them.
There is good prospect that our
forces in Europe win not be lacking
machine guns in any way, said Cen
eral Crozier
Seventy-five hundred machine guns
are available for training purposes in
this country General Crozier said.
IN hn no nv Colonel
Lewis inventor of the gun bearing MS
name, that General Crozier had been
prejudiced against him, General Croz-
Ter showed that board which inVes-
tigated charges eXonerated him. AS
sertions that he had opposed adoption
of Colonel Lewis's range finder also
were categorically denied by General
Crozier.
Government Kept Dcwis's Check.
General Crozier said he could see no
reason for rejecting Colonel Lewis
check returning for royalties on the
$50 Lewis guns bought for border
service and about 81. 900 was turned
into the treasury.
Regarding the machine gun supply
of the Pershing expedition. General
Crozier said more than 100000 have
| been ordered, including $4,000
abroad.
Senator Chamberlain called atten-
| ton to reports that a great many
! Lewis guns are being held in storage.
/ Where are they" he asked.
Either in camps or the Springfield
| armory."
! To criticisms that the war depart
! ment delayed rifle production by
modifying the British Enfield so that
| it shall be used with American am
+ munition General Crozier denied that
standards fixed for interchanEea bility
! of parts caused any serious delay.
$6.0OO.00O a Day for Ammunition.
| Regarding charges that there are
machine gun shortages in training
camps, General CroZier declared:
Enough rifles have been manufac-
! tured to equip all the troops in the
/ environments but 1 do not know if
they have actually arrived. They are
on the way. And they are abundant
for all troops that are likely to be
+ called out for service"
To show the scope of the ordnance
bureaus work General Crozier dis
closed that contracts for ammunition
aggregating more than one billion dol
lars had been placed up to December
daily. In seven months orders for
1900 100000 were placed as COM
pared to 81, 800, 600, 900 of British ord
nance orders in this country in three
years. The ordnance bureau. he said
] ordered 63, SIS, 900 shells from May TO
December against 100000 ordered
in this country by England during the
entire war.