The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-12-23
MACHINE GUN
FUSS IS AIRED
Goa. ISAAC LEWIS. INVENTOR. n
DNsl> CHANCE To kAf1-at>
Hf~ slDk OF TRot Bi-k-

meot 70 scopt ~ tnrrr Tar
LrsiS. ct1fer cf : sfsr--ig csrirorers.
o. too ye1rx- dura;.sn. tod tfe serz-
ton thaf ne Ga not a. q ~ o1-s MS
Hesssn fs TIRE Bsstis-. s1, thai ar &C
tive C<ic~r In the arr7v q 81 Ell,01fl
avail 20 r~rsrs5e TIRE xsE department
10 scr<5t u ire - oos..
Cs4sn~l IJ~zss sz4l ~ tees his in-
yentson &c the c,s~f Of STAT. thea MsSSr
Cereral Leonard Wool
4 wanted 70 yrs-->at 4 @ tie sO--
errrnenf- he ssic-
.'rrren last June w<nf % TIE rrrserf
secsrtar3 Il r1r AM snrr-5 him al
my irte0esfs wlfhDuf any rfroiurrrrl
TIE only condition. which I th.-k wss
FAR. wa that the s-Sc-s. test s1ouid
not b. made q. ths s,,,-Hgtrid A..
srnsl-
Othrrs Inser->fed
gIer Senator Hfchc,ck asked II any
Otsierk were interested h. his gun. and
II they had orer~d their interests TO
the government Coicnes Lewis s2>a
Efoc sfoiders o. the zufonatic ARM
COMPANY. rrfao backed his carry patent.
rcre interezted
do tbey oreF their Interests ne
VAS ASKED.
My Offer wasn't even considered
cOioi,ei Lewis protested IL was turned
dom aat-
le..e- dzfel Decsnt.-r II last. re |
neEfag his offer CT his gun 70 Secre |
ts Hake-. va read b. Colonel Lewis
In Z. - offered also % turn eVcr all |
Of nj shz-f-fO-ty-fhre per cert-of
az royalties sggrexa-ing 81 cos zoe un-
der eristinz contracts. In the letter, |
cs.so-gs s.e--ss p-o.este1 against alleged |
injustir< & statements D. Secretary /
.Bslser regsrsing the gun He oised the
SUCCESS the British had had with his |
arm. 2r5 declared ira; Of twelve Z-i- |
y,e.ins brought down by the British ten
He-e .agEea With the lewis gun
Would Give ,Up, Rs,altiss-
4 want il urder<.ooi that I was /
sn6 an. ready TO give my check to tire
secretary for M royalties or my in !!
teres, in the patent he said stating 4
he had offered his gun repeatedly in |
1911. 1912 and afterwards. Il kept II /
alive he said.
HOz he sent his checks for 81 900 |
and SC 700 CT royalty receipts TO the
sec7efa-y on certain contracts Was de-
iziiei b. Colonel Lewis.
General Crozier promptly advised its
re ;ectioa.- he said Asked why he was
wiling 10 give has royalties as well as
patents 20 the government. Colonel J
LEXIS answered:
u suppose its psychological. he
answered. Il don't need the money l
suppose and hope my offer ultimately
E-il be accepted"
You simply wsnr patriottcally TO
help TIE government and because you
were in the seryirey"
Yes I was educated by the govern
rem. I've been persecuted by the gov
eramesat and / want 70 help the govern
ment"
-Irs true il got through the arsenal
test. but never has been in the field"
Lewis continued 7 have never seen
il. but nv associates have" Senator
Hitchcock referred 10 breaking Of parts
in the Lewis gun in 1913 tests
,Oh. yes said Lewis. i never saw
any that would not break IL tests. The
guns were made. rushed through in
protests. By my associates. converted
to FIRE American ammunition" /
did the Browning gun break In the
restsg" asked Senator Hitchcock.
Certainly was the reply. Il wasn't
invited to see the test but any guns ,
break in a test" ,
Another Question.
Then. General Crozier did give you !
m opportunity at test to present your ,
gum asked Senator Hitchcock. refer
rsng TO the 1913 test
Yes but my son. who represented
ne. had a hard time at the depart
nent At that time. no guns had been
.urned out al the British factory"
The 1913 test was premature against
lis Judgment, Colonel Lewis declared.
,ut he did not regard the outcome as !
, failure for his gun
1.-The gun is lust the same today as
[ was then-not change made. Col
mel Lewis said. declaring General Gro
Ter had adopted various different types
4 machine guns. spending millions for
he Benei- -Aercier "a French gum.
"Al the other reports believe the
is the best gun developed. and
-ou are only one against them" Sena-
or Hitchcock suggested
Lewis replied that the experts were
Interested in manufacturing the Brown 4
ng.
Alleges Woefui Conditions.
The ordnance equipment OF General II
'ershingE army he said. is IAN outrage
nd a disgrace" The forces are with
ut enough machine guns or rifles. he
aid and have heavy artillery only bor-
owed from the allies
The country would not have a million II
zen in France before 1919. Colonel
evils declared. n
"yYho Is responsible?- he asked. Gen
al CrOzier is more responsible for an
jequate equipment Of Unitei states
,rces than anyone"
After rebuffs Of his gun by the war
apartment. Lewis said he went TO Eu-
pc. retiring from the United States
my. "disgustej and disgruntled." ex-
citing to live abroad A group Of
elgisn bankers. ne continued. bo-ght
e European rights to his gun.
The Belgian company. he found in II
~. was drifting into German coptrol.
n ne ousted the German directors. I
? went to Birmingham. England. and
forfy-eight hours. he said. ciOsei .
ntracf with a British firm The guns
ed in the Belgian and British tests.
iich he said resulted In its accevt u
&C at both places. were the same orig
Il four models that the American rDs
lment refused to test in 1872 Tse
lmunition used IN the British rests
5 Of American design. he said
Why Was 1t Opposed
senator Chamberlain asked wis the