The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-12-12

the American forces. he reviewed
the entire situation from the date OF
the break In diplomatic relations
with Germany.
pefore we got into the war we
were working on a program lnVolv.
ling raising and eQuipping an army
of 100000 men in five years, ne
said when we got into tne wai;
we compressed that program anu
asked money to make it effective IN
one year.
"Our first delay was encountered
| in the necessity for showing all esu
mates for funds to the war collese,
the general staff and the secretary
of war. Each of these had to re-
ceive full explanation of the purposes
money was required for.
after that we had to explain TO
congress. But we did not walt TOT
con gress to act. We started to get
manufacturing establishments going:
! It was then we met the opstacie vi
refusal of manufacturers 10 spenu
m oney without assurance OF payment.
| Our purchasing system caused
more delay. We had to submit prices
we proposed to pay to the munitions
| hoard. headed by Frank A. Scott.
Lack of personnel also hampered
the ordnance department
! Before the war l had eighty five
men in nv department. Now ! have
more than 2,100."
where did you get the others
from, the army or civil HfeT' asked
{, Senator Weeks.
prom civil nfe," said Crozier.
1.-THE army did not have the kind OF
men I needed. They are engineers,
chemists, lawyers and highly trained
! busienSS men,.
Most of the artillery and rife con-
tracts have been made on a basis
of cost plus certain percentage OF
profit, because manufacturers refused
to take contracts at fixed price.
| This was due to fluctuations In labor
and material costs. Crozier stated.
"All our private rifle contracts were
made at a cost plus ten percent
Senator chamberlain INQUIRED
whether this country has profted
NV mistakes the allies made with re-
gard to artillery.
| 1--WE profited by their mistaken
idea that shrapnel was more impor-
/ tant than high explosives-an idea
i they, have since revised" said Gro
4 zier. 1--WE were informed on this
early enough In the war so that we
made our contracts for more high
explosive shells than shrapnel"
The Railroad Problem.
| WASHINGTON, Dec. 12.-Plans
| for war time control Of railroads.
probably will be completed before
might. With the railway war board
/ scheduled to meet with President
Wilson and with brotherhood chiefs
in town, it appeared likely that def
mite means OF unified operation
would be devised.
! The president will be ready within
a short time to advise congress OF
his desires as to this vital project.
AS affairs are now shaping. 1t APP
! way dictator-perhaps Secretary OF
the Interior Lane-will be appointed
to run the lines. He would have
power to pool the lines and their
equipment to eliminate unessential
i schedules and so direct finances that
the railways at the end OF his tenure
would be on a sounder basis than be-
fore.
However, both the railway war
board and brotherhoods intend to i'm
press upon the president that private
control single handed cannot produce
war efficiency unless the government
lends hand in Strengthening the
roads finances. The president has
been noncornmittal thus far though
] the general impression Is that he Is
favorable to the government control
idea. Congress as a whole appears
sympathetic to such a solution Of the
problem, but will be amenable to
whatever suggestions the president
may make.
| Liquor Proclamation.
+ WASHINGTON, Dec. 12.-President
Wilson today issued proclamation
limiting the alcoholic contents OF
malt liquors excepting ale and port.
err to 2A per cent. He also ordered
that the total amount of food, fruit
and feed materials used, shall not
exceed seventy per cent of their
average consumption in the produc-
ton of malt liquor during 1918.
No person will be permitted after
January 1 to produce malt liquor
without a license from the commits
sioner Of internal revenue. The
i license will compel the brewer 20
comply with rules and regulations to
be promulgated.
/ To import, a license from the divis
ION of customs of the treasury depart
ment will be necessary. 1t will bfnd
tthe holder of any import regulations
which may be promulgated.
The proclamation is a food conser-
walton measure.
Six Hundred Suffragettes.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 12-The mar
Bile corridors of the capitol echoed TO-
day with the tramp Of 600 suffragists.
They were delegates to the national
] women suffrage convention here,
VINO advanced in forty-four groups
upon as many different state delesa-
tons in congress.
The women carried the definite
challenge to each member opposing
passage of federal suffrage amend
Lot 1xill line ana in ST