Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-01-26
Need $4,000 More Big Guns

All VI tLIe testimony OIL zen. CroZlef
was ordered kept confidential
Need $4,000 More Big Guns
Mr.. Mccormick. in his statement.
sale that for the American and allied
armies TO break through on the west
ern front they must have $4,000 more
big guns, and that il is impossible for
the allies to make Them
The French he said, cannot make the
guI.s. Every man who is in France,
he declared, lis needed TO be maxim :
guns for France or 10 be on the line
We have TO ship the steel to them.
can only say-and | quote the man
wEo Won the battles-that it is impoS-
sihie to have too many guns.
We ought to set 1000 as the mark
and 2Q.6I0 as a minimum. We ought e
get the best information possible and
not merely through the normal military
channels, because. as Premier LloyC
Georges secretary said. me generals
have always tended 10 underestimate
The number Of guns necessary
Represe NATIVE Mccormick, iii reply
to d question said ne did not think thaf
this great production could be attain
81 under the present system. and sug-
gested creation of q minister Of mum
tons"
The witness said Lloyd George has
insisted that in making big guns. the
United States would not add thrc
calibrc.
You know we have done 1t - queS'
toned Senator Wadsworth.
a. hrt'n q
replied 'hut / can very easily believe
it from what else | have heard since
nave been home. The most disappoint
ing news | have heard was not on me
Italian front or in France, but since
have cone back. | could not say spe-
officially. except here and there. Wha'
Is wrong. but members Of the Senate
and House, on both sides give me the
impression that we lack the co-ordina-
ton and energy which is especially
! marked in London-the tremendous
| administrative mechine which they
! have over there. They said Why dc
you summon So and so and sd$and s.
10 Washington to sit in counCll
7 Fearful Of Crozier and Sharpe =
| III references to Generals Crozier and
xSharpe Mr.. Mccormick said
| i would rather not mention any names.
/ but the most important officers said; II
Sharpe and Crozer do not 90 we do net
know what may happen,
/ II have had that from three majcr gem
erals" Senator Wadsworth interjectec.
I Yes" continued Mr. Mccormick, ''the
men on whom our burden rests said that
to me-
! Have they any way Of reaching the au-
ministration"" asked senator Hitchcock.
! II do not Know" replied Mr.. McCor-
mick when Gen. Biddie was recently
appointed, American officers were al
broken up about ii. As an engineer lie
was well thought OF; they all liked him
! but when he was TO be made the probable
successor to the chiet Of staff il just abou.
made them vince.
"Whom do they have confidence in over
there asked Senator New. do they
express themselves on that
"They talked Of Cen Marsh, | think
Some Of these names are unfamiliar to
me. They spoke of Gen. Mormon and
Gen. Wood These are the three men whn
were mentioned as representing the best
military intelligence we have
i Discussing air lighting, Mr. Mccormick
said the French We're short of officers for
aviation.
The French general headquarters esti-
mates that We should add 500 planes to
, the total" Mr.. Mccormick. said, "anG
should never let the total fall below that"