Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-01
Cash HELD
UP, CR0z|ER
DECLARES
Ordnance Chief Blames Sec
retary of War, Congress
and Public For Nations
Failure to Prepare for
War.

DENIES TRUTH OF
CHARGES BY LEWIS
Washington, D. c., Dec. 31.-Major
General Crozier, army ordnance chief,
today gave to the senate committee
investigating the conduct of the war
his side of the reasons for artillery
shortage and of the celebrated con-
troversy over the Lewis machine gun.
Responsibility for artillery short
age, the general said, lay with the
whole country and he showed how
every effort of his 20 get larger appro-
priations for artillery in times OF
peace, was overruled by the secretary
OF war and by congress.
The British and French govern
ments, he showed by Official records,
had of themselves offered to supply
General Pershing's forces with artil-
lery and he gave statements from
abroad to show that the allies were
able to do it because they had a sur
plus.
DENIES LEWIS CHARGE.
General Crozier submitted the rec
ord of tests of the Lewis gun, show
ing that other guns performed better;
disclaimed any personal prejudice as
claimed by Colonel Lewis, the invent
or, and showed that since the gun had
been perfected to use American am
munition, the war department had
bought quantities of them.
n am not attempting to excuse the
situation that requires us to depend on
our friends tor heavy artillery" said
General Crozier, "but the responsibility
rests on the whole country"
APPROPRIATIONS REDUCED.
How he had, during previous years.
often asked congress for larger appro-
priauons for artillery and that he and
ether army heads had many times call
ed the country's attention to the need
for more artillery, was related by the
general
"This is a plain statement Of the
case" said General Crozier, citing one
instance before the war in which a
modest program" of artillery appro-
priation calling for $1,200,000 was cut
in half by direction of the secretary OF
war and then further reduced by con-
gress to 100000 No considerable ap-
preparation. he said, was made for
heavy artillery until 1916.
NEW GUN Is COSTLY.
General Crozier was asked IL reports
are true that the government has
agreed to pay $1,250,O00 for patent
rights to the new Browning gun and
explained that the government has
agreed to pay not less than $2,250,0 900
in advance of its manufacture. No con.
tract has been made but the govern
ment has agreed to pay $1,250, 900 to
Colonel Browning. the inventor, and
81 900, 900 to the Colt Automatic Arms
company, patent licensee. Both sums,
he said, are to be paid in advance of
royalties, which are $50 each for the
heavy and $25 for the light guns.
Above 100000 guns have been ordered.
General Crozier admitted the tests
of the Browning gun have been prelim-
mary, but that virtually all experts re-
garded them as sufficient to demon
strate vast superiority.
VILLA RAID RECALLED.
In reply to Senator Frelinghuysen.
General Crozier said that it is not III
tended to order any more Bennet-Mer-
cier guns.
"Then the Bennet-Mercier has been
abandoned and the Lewis gun still
lives" the senator asked.
That's true" said General Crozier.
(Which gun jammed at Columbus?"
asked Senator Frelinghuysen.
Columbus was the scene of the Villa
raid.
"The Bennett t-Mercier." General Gro
zier replied, adding that at that time ii
was superior to any Lewis gun submit
ted at any test.
From every report and recommen-
dation until the spring of 1916 when
the Lewis gun was improved said
General Crozier, there was absolutely
no justification for investing cent of
money in Lewis guns. When it was
improved it's purchase was immediate
ly ordered"
TESTS MACHINE GUNS.
Turning to the charges that preju-
dice had kept the Lewis gun out of
American equipment. General Crozier
detailed the official records of the de-
partment.
The first offer, to his knowledge,
was received May 2. 1912, when the
Automatic Arms company asked for
special test. The correspondence
showed that the ordnance board Of
fereS a regular test with ammunition
furnished by the government. No test
followed, but on March 5. 1913, an
other Lewis gun was offered for a
test, which was held at the Spring
field arsenal The Vickers was adopt
ol z