Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-12-22
LEWIS TELLS
HOW HI: TRIED
D0HIS BIT
Says at War Probe he Of
fered Patent and Money
But Met Rejection.

Washington, Dec. 22-Colonel Isaac
Lewis. inventor Of the celebrated ma
chine gun bearing his name, told the
senate committee investigating con-
duct of the war, "the whole story" of
his efforts TO get the war department
to adopt his invention.
Lewis, center OF a stormy eoDtro-
yersy of years duration. told the SEN
ators that he did not first offer his
weapon to the British but that while
still an active officer in the army. tried
without avail to persuade the war de-
partment to accept it free of cost.
Tried to Give 1t AWAY.
| Colonel Lewis said he took his in
vention to the chief Of staff, then
j Major General Wood
! Il wanted to present It to the gov
eminent" he said. Even last June
went to the present secretary of war
and offered him all my interests, with
out any emolument. The only condi-
i ton which | think was fair, was that
/ the official test should not be made at
I the Springfield arsenal"
/ When Senator Hitchcock asked If
any others were interested in his gun
and if they had Offered their interests
to the government. Aa4azsa LAWS said
stockholders of the Automatic Arms
company. who backed his early patent,
were interested.
/ did they offer their interests?" he
was asked.
Offer Turned Down.
MY offer wasn't even considered
| Colonel Lewis protested. 1T was
turned down fat"
| A letter dated Dee. II last renew
ing his offer of his gun to Secretary
| Baker was read by Colonel Lewis. In
it he offered also to turn over all OF
his share--43 per cent-of all royal
ties aggregating 81, 100000 under exist
ing contracts. In the letter Colonel
I Lewis protested against alleged in
Justice of statements by Secretary
! Baker regarding the gun. He cited
the success the British had had with
/ his arm and declared that Of II Yep
: nelins brought down by the British, II
were bagged with the Lewis gun.
81 want it understood that was
land am ready to give my check TO the
secretary for my royalties or my IN
terest in the patent ne said, stating
. he had offered his gun repeatedly II
; 1911, 1912 and often afterwards.
How he sent his checks for Sll,00'
and $6.7O0 of royalties receipts on Ger
tain contracts to the secretary was
detailed by Colonel Lewis.
Don't Need the Honey.
Asked why he was willing TO give hi
= royalties as we'll as patents to th'
/, government, Colonel Lewis answered
: q suppose it is psychological h,
! answered. Il don't need the money.
/ suppose and hope my offer ultimatel,
/ bwill be accepted.
"You simply want patriotically t.
help the government and because yo'
were in the services?
Eyes, I was educated by the gov
eminent. I've been prosecuted by tn
government and / want to help In
> government"
; The ordnance equipment OF Genera
Pershing's army. he said, is AN out
rage and a disgrace" The forces ar
without enough machine guns 0
e rifles. he said, and have only artiller
i borrowed from the allies.
n The country would not have mil
Ii lion men in France before 1919, Col
: onel Lewis declared
5 Crozier To Blame.
d "Who is responsible?" he wa
d asked.
i General Crozier is more respons
d BILE for inadequate equipment of Uni
ed States forces than anyone
Colonel Lewis declared the orc
Il nance bureau was zone man ms
II chine. and said General Crozier ha
II used his Office for personal malic
il against a man not in the ring" RI
II spending to other questions Lew
i charged that General Crozier's att
tade towards him was due both
personal and professional prejudice
Lewis told of his range finder whic
the government adopted many veal
ago. He said General Crozier o.
posed it but special board had
adopted.
After rebuffs Of his gun by the vs.
department, Lewis said ne went
Europe. retired from the United Stat'
army "disgusted and disgruntled," e.
pecting to live abroad. A group
Belgian bankers, he continued. bougl
the European rights of his gun. tt
4 r.