The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-01-24
What Baker Omitted.

ment and that contracts IOT @l,oii'
100000 have been awarded" he con-
tinued. This is true, but the secre-
tary failed to tell the country that
America failed to stand prepared.
France bled white" he continued,
sis furnishing America today and the
troops going abroad with heavy ord :
nance, machine guns and airplanes. Ii
we relied on the ordnance department
in this emergency (and this is war
of artillery the war would be COM
pleted before we ever got enough to
the front. France agreed to deliver
this artillery. To win America? Did
she furnish it in order to invite Amer
ica?"
1t was improper, he said, to give de-
tails of American purchases of ord
nance from the allies, but referred
senator's TO the confidential testimony
before the committee by Maj. Gem
Crozier. chief of ordnance.
Speaker Shouts Question.
'If the administration had wanted
to be fair to the American people"
he shouted, why didn't the distin-
guished secretary of war. and | have
the highest regard for him, let the
people know so that the people could
assist in getting ready for this terri
BILE calamity that confronts not only
America, but the whole world?"
Senator Chamberlain charged that
the ordnance bureau failed in 1916 to
prepare for war when it seemed GER
tain.
There were omens in the sky" he
continued that America could not
keep out What was the ordnance de-
partment doing? Nothing 1t was ly-
ing supinely on it's back not making
gauges for manufacturing ordnance
nor discovering the possibilities of
manufacturing-but doing nothing, alb
solutely nothing"
Appropriations for jigs and dies to
make ordnance, he said, had not been
used
crozier Highly Regarded.
I'm not blaming anybody in par
ticular." the senator continued. Il
have high regard for Gen. Crozier.
But we haven't been able to do what
England, France and all our other al
lies have done and that is to retire
these gentlemen who have not proven
themselves up to the mark We ought
not to dismiss them in disgrace, but
in other countries they have gone into
innocuous desuetude. This isn't a
question of personalities. This is not
a question between the president and
myself. It's a question of America
and every man ought to make it his
whole purpose to see that America is
saved.
Lewis Guns Alright.
Take the machine gun" said Sena-
tor Chamberlain. It's an old con-
troversy ana much may be said on
both sides. The Lewis gun has been
manufactured here for the British
army and there are 10000 of them
on the battle fronts. Every British
officer 1 have seen has expressed ap-
proval of that gun. America was pre-
pared to produce them but with the
country standing on a seething vol
cano the ordnance bureau was trying
to decide on a gun. The war depart
ment didn't even adopt a gun until
May, and finally adopted it in June.
1917, L believe, and theri, only on
paper and it still is a gun on paper,
1t never has had field test. Maybe
the Browning gun is a good weapon,
but the Lewis gun is doing good
work. Why not manufacture the
Lewis guns?"
The secretary of war testified he
recalled. that in September the United
States had nine Browning guns with
which to go out against the millions
of Germany" He denounced the cry
that investigation gives information
10 Ine e1tHly.
Germany Knows U. S.
Germany knows more about
America today than the men con-
nected with the departments" Sena-
tor Chamberlain declared. "If the
government would be frank with the
people, then we could rely upon the
people to rally to the support of the
president and the prosecution Of the
war" he added.
"Great Britain" he said, did not
waste time manufacturing guns. The
United States could have adopted the
same kind of a rife as used by Eng
land as plants in this country were
equipped for manufacturing them,"
he contended.
After the engineers of various gum
making plants had been consulted, a
gun finally was agreed upon for the
American army, but "the ordance bu-
reau. through very distinguished Of
ficer," ordered that the number of
parts be increased, which added to the
delay.
why shouldn't America know these
the senator demanded. Some
people in the west" he said, believe
America has al il needs.
IF they only knew the actual con-
ditions.'' he continued, they would
give their lives, their all, to protect
America. Casual reading OF the Sec
retary of wars statement gives the
that we had everything.
But when we get the testimony of the
men who are on the ground, different
is obtained"
Goose Not Hanging High.
Senator Chamberlain declared that
from Secretary Bakers general state
ment the country would believe
was lovely and the goose
hung high, so far as clothing is con-
cerned." But when you talk to the
men that command these boys you find
IL isn't there" he continued.
'T realize the difficulties of the quar-
termaster- general. He. has done the
pest that he could under the present
system The president inherited that
system and has done the best he could.
The president isn't responsible for the
system But the fact remains that we
haven't the clothing"
Snator Chamberlain said he proposed
20 show by Secretary Bakers own tes-
.imony that the secretary did not know
If actual clothing conditions.
Somebody Lied.
That's why l say" he continued. |
that the president didn't know the
ruth. And I did He must have got
on his facts from the secretary u-ho =