Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-12-31
ORDNANCE AGAIN
TOPIC AT INQUIRY
Gen. Crozier Reads Prepared
Statement Replying to Ma :
chine Gun Inventor. #

The Senate war inquiry again was
when Maj Gen. Croker was permitted
to take the stand to reply to recent
statements made by Col. Isaac Lewiss
inventor Of the Lewis machine gun, ~
jected by the War Department in favor
of the Browning type.
Before beginning Gen. Croker asked
to be put under oath. and then read q
prepared statement dealing nret with
borrowing artillery from the allies for
Gen. Pershing's forces.
Desire to make Americas forces OF
actual aid on the fighting front ~
soon as possible was a primo factor.
Gen. Crozier said. IN tho artillery loans
from France.
Correspondence Is Produced
Correspondence was produced m
which n. Tardieu Of the French high
commission asked the War DepaFts
ment to order French artillery and tha&
French deliveries exceeded the number
promised.
Conferences between heads Of the Brit
ish, French and American governments
abroad regarding furnishing of artillery
to Americas forces were rectted by Gen.
Crozier. He produced a letter from Gen
Bliss, chief of staff. stating that British
and French munitions heads had formal
ly assured him that their artillery and
ammunition production had SO increased
that they would be able completely to
equip all American forces arriving abroad
in 1918
I'm not attempting to excuse the
situation that requires us to depend On
Crozier. but the responsibility rests on
the whole country.
Told of the Need of Artillery.
How he had during previous years
often asked Congress for larger ap-
for artillery. and that he
and other Army heads had many times
called the country's attention to the
need for more artillery, was related By
the general
This is a plain statement Of the
case" said Gen. Crozier. citing one in
stance before the war In which =
modest program o. a aro ne appro
BY Congress to $4,000. No consider
able appropriation. he said, was made
for heavy artillery until 1915. Appro-
priations in preceding years, he said.
Machine guns, Gen. Crozier said. were
never expected to become such an i'm
portant weapon. but the Germans. real
izing better than any one else their
great future, proceeded to secure them
in quantity.
Explains Tests of Lewis Guns
had kept the Lewis gun out of Amert-
IAN equipment. Gen. Crozier detailed
he officfal records of the department,
The first offer, to his knowledge, was
received May 2. 1912. when the Auto
matte Arms Company asked for a spe-
.ial test. The correspondence showed
hat the ordnance board offered q reg
ular test with ammunition furnished by
he government. No test followed, but
IN March s. 1913, another Lewis gun
was offered for test, which was held
It the Springfield arsenal
The Vickers was adopted. however.
because the boards report showed the
lewis gun damned 206 times, had thir-
y-five parts broken and fifteen parts
replacement. while the Nickers.
run damned only twenty-three times
Ind had no parts broken. The board
,eld the Lewis gun inferior to the
yickers or Bennet-Mercier.
No other Lewis gun. Gen. Crozier said
vas submitted for "a test until April.
SIG The War Department previously
;avage Arms Company stated none was
valuable.
In the April. 1916, tests, Gen. Croxier
aid. the manufacturers withdrew the
runs. because 1t was said they were
Tot in condition.
All the boards formed to test machine
runs. Gen. Croker pointed out, were not
ubject to his jurisdiction.
The board in the April. 1916, test
ound the Lewis gun had many desirs-
lie features. and offered to again test
when perfected. He produced q let
er from President A. W. Borie of the
;avage Arms Company. stating that the
'oard's action had been entirely I'M
Iartial"