Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-01-29


Was teing done.
Why Changes in Guns
TnkinE up Sena tOl9 Chamhcrldin's
attack on the ordnance bureau. Nit
Baker sad that mems minds differed
about the types OF guns to be used aud
about the quantity, lie then disclosed
that the decision 90 adopt the so-called
re-chambered Enfield rife WUt
roaohed late one night In his office at
a conference attended by General Per
shinE who whH preparing 10 80 tu
France. General Scott chief OF start
General Bliss, assistant chief General
Crnzier. CHIEF OF ordnance, ana dcncrnl
Kuhn, then hcnd of the war college
and several other STAFF officers, 'cN
perts In rifles" IL was late IN May or
early In june
The American Springfield rifle, Sec
rrtnry Hgkcr snid, was admittedly the
Fl. best mllknry ride developed by any
country" when tins decision was
reached There were IN stock 100000
OF them
1t was not then known, Sccrctar,
Baker contended, whether American
troops would fight burldc the British
or the French The British used
rim cartridge of ono Gather aud IA"
French rim cartridge gun of another
calibcr. The British government had
been PREPARED To- rc-Hrm the entire
British army with the Enfield when
the war broke out IA 1914 The eN'cI-
Ience OF the American weapon was 80
we'll known that the British decided to
remodel their guns but the suddonness
III the war prevented shem making
the change
That decision. made that night"
Mir Baker added, referring TO the con.
ference held nt which II was decided
to change the American rtile, 'had lho
Unanimous consent of every man nt inc
conference
After America entered the war, Mi
Baker said, Major General Wnou
came 10 his office and advocated the
necessity. of calling out large army.
Sscrrtnry Baker said there were not
IN. clothes or arms but General Wood
replied he knew that. but contcnded
The men needed to live together Tor
"prrnminflry training lie toid Gen
ernl wood he agreed That the army
should be assembled M rapidly hS
possbie. hut II was the intention 10
build up the regular army ana inc
national guard first and then the ma
tional army
Explains Rirc situation.
Regarding Senator Chamberlain
abatement that rifles originally sent 10
camp were a motley collection. sec
retaTy Baker said he ala not object To
| the term, but the facts we're lha' we
] had about 10000 Springfield rlil'S
and somethiIh over 10000 krhss
The German army best prepared
in the world" he added, furnishes an
obsolete rifle for practice until men
learn to take caro- OF better weapon.
81 do not mean to say" he added
| chat the question was decided intai-
libby. 1t may have beer better to have
used tho british Enfield but 40
mean 10 say that II was decided con
scientiously tina now every man IN inns
country intended TO carry rifle, has
( one aud n rifle OF better quality than
II we had adopted the existing type AT
the time
And" he continued, although we
have sent soldiers to Europe much
more rapidly than we ever. thought we
wSuld or could. every soldier has not
only a modern rifle, but has had prac-
tice with It, That also IL true OF every
soldier who viii go to Europe
Turning 10 the machine gun cues
ton, Mr. Baker said that up to last
I Aprn tho LEXIS gun had not been
atisfnctorily tested with American ann
munitoin althopwidcly used by Eng
land. The ~ eneh he said, never took
the Lewis gun In any large numbers
, The board" he added. referring to
the board he appointed In the fall OF
1915 to test nnchlne guns, never de
layed for one second the procurement
lof additional machine guns"
Orders Lewis Guns.
lie told Of tho nayy's test or the
Lewis gun last April with an army offi-
Ger present and added
AS a results OF that test an imme-
diate order was given to the Savage
/ Arms company for Lewis guns. Large
orders for Lewis guns have been given.
We are advised. however. by General
Pershing that he d6cs not desire Lewis
guns for use on land General Perish
ipg and his staff desire them only for
krcraft.
I'm the meantime said Mr.. Baker
"the French government In able to
supply us with light French guns and
heavy Hotchkiss guns for the troops
that are abroad and TINT VIII be sent
for the present
we have ordered all tho Lewis