Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-12-14
ARMY CAMPS ARE
WITHOUT WEAPONS
Major General Crozier, Chief
of Ordnance, Sharply
Cross-Examined.
is ON STAND THREE HOURS
Claims There Will Be No De-
lay in Equipping Soldiers
Sent Abroad.
is ON STAND THREE HOURS
SECRETARY BAKER is BLAMED
Senate Military Committee MOI
Satisfied With EXplana-
ton of Delays.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 13.-Mcmbers
OF the senate military committee to-
day subjected Major General CroZier
chief OF ordnance. to three hours of
sharp cross examination. seeking eX-
PLANTATION Of delays In providing the
war army with weapons. Tomorrow
In executive session they Will press
questions which the general objected
to answering in the open hearing.
Thruout the examination General
Crozier insisted that there had been
and would be, no delay In equiping
soldiers sent abroad. lie admitted
that because of u shortage of machine
guns the American troops in France
were supplied with weapons Of French
make, and that there was lack OF
both machine guns and rifles In the
training cantonments, but declared
that the training of troops would not
he seriously retarded.
Blamcs Secretary Baker.
Responsibility for the machine gun
situation was placed by the general
upon Secretary Baker who, he said,
had taken II personal interest I'm the
matter and ordered an investigation
which resulted In the adoption, In
June, of a new gun known az the
Browning type. This statement came
when Chairman Chamberlain said he
was not satisfied with the explanation
that the delay was caused by investl-
cations.
Neither am satisfied" the Wit
ness responded, but am not person
ally responsible"
Nearly every member of the com
mittee Joined In the examination and
questions were fired across the table
as rapidly az the general could answer
Chairman Chamberlain took excep-
tions to conclusions drawn from Gen
er1l Crozier's testimony yesterday that
congress, by failing to make promp,
appropriations, and labor troubles
were largely responsible for the delay.
General Crozier said he had not in
tened such an Interpretation, and that
millions Of dollars appropriated had
not been expended.
Production Is Increasing.
Delay In supplying rifles. the gen
eral explained In detail. was due ia
| the factory changes incident TO modi-
| fication of the British Enfield type,
| which large private plants In this
country are equipped to make, to use
American ammunition. Better rifles
are a result. he insisted. He also said
that Krag and other types are now be-
| Ing sent to national cantonments. and
| that other production IL increasing
! Detailed statements regarding pros
pective deliveries of rifles he regarded
as confidential and were postponed I'M
til tomorrow's executive session.
While General Crozier was testify
ing, his nomination for another term
as ordnance chief was received from
President Wilson by the senate.
When told of General CroZier's testi-
mony, Secretary Baker said the senate
committee was properly seeking al
information as 10 what was being don,
by the war department. He declined
to comment on the statement as {,
machine guns. further than TO say
that the Browning gun was n new
weapon approved by the special boart
he appointed to consider the question
of light machine guns for the troops
and that the entire capacity of tn,
country for producing satisfactor,
| weapons IL under contract