Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-13
.CROz|ER APPEARS
AS FIRST WITNESS
Delays and Deficiencies in Sup
plying Army With Ord
nance Explained.
SENATE BEGINS ITS PROBE
Investigation of Navy's War
Preparations Also Planned
Within Few Weeks.
SENATE BEGINS ITS PROBE
lPy Associated Pro-.

army with ordnance were detailed and
explained to-day b.: Major General
Crozicr. chic: OF ordnance. 70 the SEN
ming Of tho general inquiry planned by
Congress into conduct of the war.
The hearing was public and will he
continued tomorrow. with General
Crozier on the stand. Later executive
sessions will be held for discussion Of
subjects involving military secrets
That there is = shortage OF ordnance
al home for training purposes Genera,
Crozier admitted. hut he said there is
no shortage ION the other side" and
Will be none. IT has been possible. he
said. 10 purchase English and French
artillery for use in Europe. and he
predicted tia, b. next summer the
principal shortages for training pur-
poses would be met
Delays in supplying ordnance Cen
cral Cro1ier explained. have been due
to time taken for considering estimates
and appropriations before Congress.
and to labor difficulties in private
plants. He said there is no shortage
OF skilled munition labor in this coun-
try. and told of 4 plan TO retain such
labor. which may be submitted TO Con-
gress.
Contracts for ordnance let OIL the
cost plus u percentage profit" plan.
the general declared. have been eco
nonical for the government
MILITARY POLICY Is
FIRST OBSTACLE
General CCo2ier said an obstacle in the
early work was that the military policy
defined in the national defense act of
i?iG contemplated force of 1000, o60
mrn 20 be raised in five years.
1T is apparent" lie said. that the
'riGiral program did not contemplate
Oar participation in the war. We COM
pressed the :ive-year program into one
year when i: Immediately became an
parent that the 100000 program would
not do"
Preparation Of estimates and actual
appropriation by Congress. the general
said. caused further delay
we did everything We could" he
continued. TO get the manufacturing
establishments OF the country going on
orders in anticipation of appropria-
tions. One obstacle was that many
manufacturers did not care to spend
money or could not secure loans in
advance OF actual appropriations. Tha,
caused very considerable delay. There
also were delays under the abnormal
purchasing system necessary. without
time for competitive bidding in many
cases"
COST Plus 10 PER CENT
PLAN WORKS OUT WELL.
Referring to the cost plus 10 per
cent contracts, General Crozier said
the system had worked out fairly
we'll
Eut IL is not As good as Wien prices
are definitely fixed" he said. TT is
better 10 use that only in case OF
emergency.
some manufacturers would not take
hxed price contracts at ALL" General
CroZier said They wouldn't take the
risk except with a prof, on n percent
age basis. They have had their fingers
burned. No orders for rifles were made
at fixed price; manufacturers wouldn't
take the orders"
Upon inquiry by Senator Wadsworth.
General Crozier said that early in the
war the President had allotted s35,-
100000 OF his sI00,00O0Oo emergency
fund TO the War Department that
emergency orders for material had been
given.
Senator Wadswor,h asked if any
precautionary steps were taken before
the war declaration.
There was a good deal OF thinking
and discussion done" said the general
we prepared for sudden expansion
and did all we could"
I'VE have been kept back by sbifti,-
OF labor by men changing employment
tod ht,h n ;e,,o
living conditions. England has a law
prohibiting men from leaving nuni-
tion plants without permission W.
should require legislation to accom-
plish that. I don't find an actual short
age OF muni;ion labor needed in ,hi,
country. We haven't taken men ;n,o
the military service to create shor,
age"
SHORT OF ARTILLERY
F0R TRAINING PURpoSns
VIII the American army be ab,. -
supply itself with sufficient arti,,errc"
asked Senator Reed.
The Indications arc that We u.;,, =.
aole, With the assistance or Enri.nu
ana France" General Crozjer .rnr,,ia,,
We arc short Of artillery for ,rain;,c
purposes. but We are not short on ,ne
o'her side, and will not be-"
How long will it take TO ca,c,, r
on this side?' Senator Reed ouericd
we VIII be fairly we'll caueht I'm nm
INC most important :hings bv nov,
summer ~ "'"'
nat he mas plan PREPARED. to .rh.
mt 10 Congress with Secretary R,tor..
consent TO deal with tho n,nri.ian
iapor question was stated by C;encra,
Crozier, but he declined to reveal r..
tomorrow. "'' u"'''
Tho ss5.oooooo allotted from m.
Presidents emergency find wa
turned When war appropriations hc.
was explained =
H'thongh detailed ques:lon;n- Of
..eneral Crozier was deferred, several
Continued on Fourth PaseJ