Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-01-01
CROZIER PLEDGES
Continued from PAGE One)

asterward.
Among other things Gen. Crozier told
the committee tina; the government al
ready was building powder factory that
would have daily capacity OF a million
pounds. He denied stofies that wooden
guns had been furnished to men IN ne
environments, explaining that what had
been taken for guns were sticks for bay-
onet practice.
Senator Hitchcock asked why Lewis
guns were hot used unNA the Browninss
We're ready. and Gen tXbzer said Gen.
Pershing wanted the Nickers for ground
work and had made an ''unpreceslented'
demand for Lewis guns for aeriai YORK
In conferences with the war college and
other heads it was decided to use Lewis
guns exclusively for the aviation service
and the Hotchkiss and French guns for
ground work until the Brownings are
ready
Answering questions egardine
equipment at camps in this country
Gen. Croziel said:
Il think jhe regular army and ma
uonal guard will be completely equip
ped with Springfield rite. within a
month. unless new organizations are
Unexpectedly created
The National Army. he continued.
will use Enfield rifles
Within fortnight there will be
enough made he said, but | don't
know how long it will take to get them
to camp. Their manufacture win be
completed in another week If the rail-
roads will do what they ought to do
we ought TO have complete supply
delivered in the camps by Feb. 1.
Senator Mcclellan asked when all
forces can be fully equipped with ma
chine guns.
Gen. Crozier said he believed he
could equip the proposed new draft of
100000 men with rifles in two months.
Crozier Put Under Oath
Before beginning General Crozie,
asked to be put under oath and then
read prepared statement dealing
first with borrowing artillery from the
Allies for General Pershing's forces.
Desire to make Americas forces of
actual aid on the fighting front as
soon as possible was a prime factor.
General Crozier said, in the artillery
WANG AVN 4 dLSS. Correspondence
was produced in which NJ. Tardieu of
the French high commission, asked the
| War department to order French ar
tlllery. conferences between repre-
sentatives of the British. French and
American governments abroad. regard
ing furnishing OF artillery to Americas
forces were recited by General Crozier.
He produced letter from General
Bliss, chief Of staff, stating that Rrit-
ish and French munitions heads had
formally assured him that their artiI
lery and ammunition production had
so increased that they would be able
to completely equip all American for
ces arriving abroad in 1918.
HOW ne had. during previous years,
often asked Congress for larger ap-
preparations for artillery and that he
ana other army heads had many times
called the countrH's attention to the
| need for more artillery, was related
by the general.
l Machine guns. General Crozier said.
were never expected to become such
an important weapon. but the Ger
mans, realizing better than anyone else
| their great future. proceeded to secure
| them in Quantities.
Official Records of Department
| turning to the charges that preju-
dlce mad kept the Lewis gun out of
American equipment, General Crozier
de;aifd the official records of the de-
partnJsnt a
The hrst offer, to his knowtetlge.
was received May Q 1872 w,snn tho
AUTOMATIC Arms Co. asked for a spec
lal tex The correspondence showed
that ordnance board offered "a reg
uftsr teet with ammunition furnished
by tIie government. No test followed.
but on March ), 1919, another Lewis
gun was offered for test, which was
he'd at the Springfield arsenal. The