Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-01-01
CROz|ER PROMISES
] PLENTY OF RIFLES
Every Man in American Forces
to Be Supplied by February,
He TestifieS.
ENFIELDs SOON READY

Complete supplies Of rifles within a
month for all American forces were prom
Used by Maj. Gen. Crozier, chief of ord
nance, testifying before the Senate mill
tary affairs committee yesterday after
noon
Springfields for every regular and ma
donal guardsrnan will be ready before
February 1. said Gen. Crozier, and the
manufacture of remodeled Enfields for the
hrst National Army will be completed
within a week, and should be delivered at
all camps within a few weeks.
AZ to machine guns. the general said a
full supply of American make should be
ready by July 1 next Rifles for the next
draft. he declared. would be on hand pc
fore the men were in camps
Gen. Crozier appeared particularly to
tnswer charges made by Col. Isaac y.
Lewis inventor Of the Lewis machine gun.
Satisfied With Record.
When Gen. Crozier finished. Senator
Hitchcock. who has been one of the chief
Questioners. announced that he was en-
tirely satisfied with the record before, the
war. but still did not understand why
more of the Lewis guns were not ordered
afterward
Among other things Gen. Crozier told
The COMMITTEES that the government al
would have daily capacity of a million
pounds. He denied stories of wooden guns
furnished men in the cantonnents ex-
planning that what had ben taken for
guns were sticks for bayonet practice
Telling of difficulty in getting toluol
Tor making high explosives. he said
much success with substitutes had been
attained
All powder plants In the United States
are being used to their full capacity,
the general said. and in addition the
department has started erecting a gov
~rrment plant with capacity of 1900
goo pounds a day. An offer by the
DUPONT interests to erect and operate
q new plant at government expense
vas not accepted by Secretary Baker
Replying to questions OF Senator FIRE.
linghuysen. Gen Crozier said when the
United States began making powder
the DuPonts gave fun formula infor-
nation.
Senator Frelinghuysen said he under
stood the DuPonts are operating at
only so per cent capacity.
Would Issue Orders.
Il am surprised if that is true
d Cen. Crozier replied. If the DuPonts
Were not running at full capacity we
would give orders to enable them"
question, Senator Hitchcock said: Il
think up to the declaration of war
your course was q wise one as to the
lewis gun. as 1t had not met the Army
fities?"
Gen crozier replied that last April,
anticipating the official tests in May,
he had ordered 1900 Lewis guns and
also ordered many vfckers guns
No matter what we could have DONE"
aid Gen. Crozier, factories could not
have produced enough to relieve us
from some dependence on the French"
Senator Hitchcock asked why Lewis
8uns were not used until the Brown
1ngs were ready and Gen. Crozier said
Gen. Pershing wanted the Vickers for
cedented" demand for Lewis guns for
aerial work In conference with the
war college and other heads 1t was de-
odded TO use Lewis guns exclusively
Scr the aviation service and the Hotch-
49, ana French guns for ground
WORK until the BrowntnSS are ready.
The situation was not such az to
eau on Us to ret every kind of ma
chfns gun We could get said the Wit
In view Of the italian situation and
Demands for training purposes Senator
dutchcock said, the committee felt any
Snd al Kinds of machine guns should
have been secured. Cen Crozier re-
piled that he did not understand there
- any machine gun shortage in italy.
Depend on Hotchkiss.
whats going to happen" asked
Senator Weeks. IF the Browning gun
which has not been tested for field
service. does not work.
The witness replied that anticfpated
$upply would then be much reduced
Snd that larger dependence would have
10 be placed on the Hotchkiss.
l., do you think there's any doubt
06out Its working satisfactorily
Il don't see how there can be-" re-
Piled the witness. and he explained
fhat arMory tests ara much more se-
Wer0 than held trials
74sk.. he added.
Senator Frelinghuyssn brought out
lynAt In the War Department rife con-
tfAoea there are no stipulations or
penalttes regarding deliveries.
II Then you are practically in thu
koWer OF the manufacturers" the Neu,
bersey senator asked
ne. ! can step in and take over the
fActor1es," said the witness "Hnt
0oeuAl1y. they are exceeding estimated