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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 14, 1917)
TIIE MORNING OREGONIAN. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14. 1017. CHANGE IN GUN TYPE DELAYS DELIVERIES General Crozier Under Fire by Senatorial Committee Lays Balme on Mr. Baker. POINTED QUESTIONS ASKED Chief of Ordnance Tells Senate Committee That Better Rifles Are Being Made and That Pro duction Is Increasing. WASHINGTON, Dec. 13. Members of the Senate military committee today subjected Major-General Crozier, chief of ordance, to three hours of sharp cross-examination, seeking- explanation of delays in providing? the war army "with weapons. Tomorrow in executive cession they will pres questions which the General objected to answering: in the open hearing. Throughout the -examination General Crozier insisted that there had been and would be no delay in equipping soldiers sent abroad. He admitted that because of a shortage of machine guns the American troops in France were supplied with weapons of French make and that there was a lack of both ma chine guns and rifles in the training cantonments, but declared that the training of troops would not be serious ly retarded. JVew Type of Gun Ordered. Responsibility for the machine grun situation was placed by the General squarely upon Secretary Baker, who, he said, had taken a personal interest In the matter and ordered an investi gation which resulted in the adoption in June of a new gun known as the Browning type. This statement came when Chairman Chamberlain said he was not satisfied with the explanation that the delay had been caused by In vestigation. "Neither am I satisfied," responded the witness, "but I am not personally ' responsible." Nearly every member of the commit tee Joined in the examination and questions were fired across the table as rapidly as the General could answer. Wrong Impression Corrected. Chairman Chamberlain took excep tion to conclusions drawn from Gen eral Crozier's testimony yesterday that Congress, by failing to make prompt appropriations, and labor troubles were largely responsible for the delay. Gen eral Crozier said he had not intended that such an interpretation be made and that millions of dollars appropriat ed had not been expended. Delay in supplying rifles, the General explained in great detail, was due to the factory changes incident to modi fication of the British Enfield type, which large private plants in this coun try are equipped to make, to use Ameri can ammunition. Better rifles are a result, he insisted. He also said Craig and other types are now being sent to National Army cantonments and that other production is 'increasing. , De tailed statements regarding prospec tive deliveries of rifles he regarded as ccnfidential and were postponed until tomorrow's executive session. ' General Crozier Renominated. While General Crozier was testifying his nomination for another' term as ordnance chief was received from Presi dent Wilson by the Senate. When told of General Crozier's testi mony. Secretary Baker said the Senate committee was properly seeking all in formation as to what was being done by the War Department. He declined to comment on the statement as to ma chine guns further than to say that the Browning gun was a new weapon ap proved by the special board he appoint ed to consider the question of light ma chine guns for the troops and that the entire capacity of the country for pro ducing satisfactory weapons is under contract. "In your statement yesterday," said Chairman Chamberlain, addressing General Crozier, "you were disposed to place responsibility for delays on Con gress and the labor situation, although your first appropriation was made in June, 1316, and some of your appropri ations were still unexpended when war 'was declared." Hitchcock Injects Query. War was declared in April." Senator Hitchcock interjected. "When did work actually begin for equipping ,the Army? The President was granted an emergency fund of $100,000,000. Why wasn't that used? If we were at work why didn't we go to war? Why is it. In the ninth month of the war that we find our men without clothing or equip ment or ordnance? Why do our men over there have to use French artil lery?" General Crozier replied that work to secure ordnance was begun before war was declared. In anticipation of hostil ities. He said the first step was to prepare estimates of appropriations. "Why should that have taken any great lentgh of time?" asked Senator Chamberlain. General Crozier replied that the de lay was a necessary accompaniment of our methods of government, which re quire much checking and Joint re sponsibility. Emergency Fund ot I'sed. Turning to the President's emergency fund. Senator Hitchcock asked: "Congress hastily appropriated $100, 000,000 without any restrictions. That was more than 10 months ago, and now why do we find it was not used?" "I can't tell you that," General Crozier replied. "Part was used for certain particular purposes." "When did you first request the President for any part of it?" asked Senator Chamberlain. "I think in August." "That was four months after war DISEASE IS EVER THE SAME And in view of this fact a medicine like Hood's Sarsaparilla, which has been successful for mora "than" 40 years, is a safe one to rely upon. Hood's Sarsaparilla is known to the people of America as " the 'standard blood purifier. Its record is one of general satisfaction and remarkable results. There is nothing better as a general tonic and appetite-maker for weak and run-down men, women and children and old people, invalids and convalescents. It is pleasant to take, aids digestion and supplies the vital organs with rich red blood essential to perfect health. Get Hood's Sarsaparilla today and begin to take it at once. Adv. HOTEL PERKINS FIFTH AND WASHINGTON STREETS, PORTLAND, OREGON. HANDY FOR HOLIDAY SHOPPERS. Rates to Suit You Special Iiow Rates to Permanent Guests CHIEF OF ORDNANCE OF UNITED STATES ARMY, WHO UNDER GOES EXAMINATION BEFORE SENATE COMMITTEE. f1 rxWisTr ' '""'' ' " '' ' i Uin"" - V ' - ' M f can ; ft !q lJ ' - - ' " i ; I YT-SSA 7zzrrr-""kvi itWiJ-'-' MAJOR-GENERA was declared," the chairman observed. "What were you doing in the meantime to prepare ordnance?" General Crozier replied that his bu reau had been making estimates, cata loguing possible manufacturers and placing orders in anticipation of appro priations. - v "The committee wants to know," said Senator Hitchcock, "Just what was done in March, April and May what start was made." Tremendous Start Mane. "There -was a tremendous start made," General Crozier vigorously re plied. A great many things were done." "Presumably every man in the United States thought war likely," Senator Weeks suggested. "What preparations were made before the actual declara tion?" General Crozier repeated his state ment regarding advance orders to manufacturers, census work, increasing in drafting and designing .forces. He said orders were placed against $90,- 000.000 to $100,000,000 appropriations previously authorized, in the Summer and Fall of 1916. "When Senator Weeks inquired when deliveries were made upon those orders. General Crozier said some ma terials had not yet been delivered. "It takes a long time to make artil lery," he explained. . Takes Time to Make Guns. "Does it take foreign countries that long?" asked Senator Hitchcock. General Crozier replied in the af firmative, saying that from the time of a new ordnance design in Germany until its issuance to troops, there is a lapse of seven years. "But, In view of. the tremendous emergency, couldn't we have used Brit ish or French designs ?' asked Senator Hitchcock. "We could and did," General Crozier answered, "to a very considerable ex tent." "I don't want generalities," said Sen ator Hitchcock. "Teh time has come when we ought to know Just what has been done. There is a feeling and many reports that we have been unduly delayed. Although Congress provided ample money promptly, there are many officers, some In high command, who have told Sen ators that there has been an awful de lay in many things that ought to have been provided in advance." Some Delays Admitted. "They have been provided for, but not in time in some cases," General Crozier responded. "Ordnance manufac ture takes time. Some of the work ouprht to have been started two years before." "Uid't you change the type of rifle used?" asked Senator Chamberlain. "Wasn't that a cause of delay?" "Yes, we did," was the answer. He added that it was extremely un desirable to have ammunition of two kinds for an Army and to modify the guns of different makes, so, that they can use the same kind of ammunition. required some delay. "I will say that none of the American troops will be delayed five minutes in reaching the theater of war because of lack of modern rifles," General Crozier added. General Crozier admitted there was some delay in shipping guns to can tonments for training purposes early, but said the cantonmenls were not then completed. Troops Have Had Training. "No troops are being sent to France who have not been carrying a gun for some time," he continued, but added that because of ammunition shortage all have not had sufficient target prac tice. All the National Guard regiments have not been equipped with the mod ern rifles, he said, but over 75 per cent are. The ordnance department had ready to ship to each cantonment when the National Army was called, 6000 Krag rifles for training purposes, and these were followed by 2500 more and the same number the following week, so there are now about 10,000 Krag rifles at each cantonment, he said. There are also about 11,000 Enfield rifles now at cantonments or on their .way there, he declared. - Bakeries Revise Bread Prices. NEWBERG, Or., Dec. 13. (Special.) Owing to the new regulations fixed by the United States food administra tion, Newberg bakeries are obliged to revise their prices on bread. They will sell a one-pound loaf for 13 cents, or two for 25 cents. Breadmaking is stand ardized, so that loaves will be baked in one, one and one-half, two and four pound sizes. The sugar content is to be cut from six to three pounds to the barrel of flour, two pounds of vege table oil must be used Instead of six pounds of lard. Only skimmed milk may be used for bread, and rolls must be made in standard sizes and of regu lation bread dough. Red Cross Unit to Report. SPOKANE, Dec. 13. The 83 mem bers of the American Red Cross hospi tal unit, C, all but three of whom make their homes in this vicinity, were today-notified to report Monday to Dr. S. E. Lambert, the organizer of the unit, who arrives here Monday from Fort Riley. It was stated the unit will be ordered- into service immediately. - a ksbi v. ' 4 1 ! t. - f :. "-w-x-iv:,iiW;. : L W. M. CROZIER. WARNING IS ISSUED Vanderlip Sees Peril in Paper Money Inflation. PRESENT CONDITIONS NEW Head of War Savings Committee Ad dresses Bankers' Luncheon, at St. Paul in Behalf of State Campaign. ST. PAUL. Dec. 13. Warning against the danger of paper money inflation as a means of financing the war was given today by Chairman Frank A. Vanderlip, of the war savings committee. In ad dressing a bankers' luncheon in behalf of the war saving stamps campaign. The Government faced a shortage of men and material, not money, he de clared, and therefore the printing press could never satisfy the needs arising from the war. . There are some impressive reasons why this campaign for economy should have the strongest support of men of large affairs, of great corporations, of savings banks and of all interests that are concerned with the future of se curity values, Mr. Vanderlip said. 'The alternative of financing this war out of current savings," he con tinued, "will be the attempt to finance it by inflation, not by tho Inflation of bank credits alone, that is almost In evitable. The danger is that we might come to inflation by the issue of paper money. This old fallacy, comes up in a hun dred different guises. It is in men's minds. They do not see that there is no lack of the mere facilities for mak ing payment. They do not clearly ap prehend that the thing that is limiting our efforts on all sides is the scarcity of men and materials, not scarcity of money. The Government's wants can only be satisfied through an augmented labor supply together with efficient or ganization and equipment. The print ing press will never satisfy that need. "At no time in the world's history when paper money Inflation has any where been tried was there a corpo rate condition such as we have today, a situation where there are many, many billion of dollars' worth of securities issued by public service corporations whose income is fixed by law. The ad vancing price of all things which cor porations must have to live the prices of labor, fuel, equipment, supplies of every sort would show quick response to the inflation Of the currency, but the income of those corporations still would be governed by legal contracts or Gov ernmental regulations. "The burden which always falls on persons with stationary Incomes in a period of credit expansion is well understood, but I am not sure that it is generally recognized that Inflation and the consequent rise in prices would nave a lar more serious elTect upon the financial condition of many corpo rations than was ever the case in for mer times." Mr. Vanderlip .left, here for Omaha, where he will speak tomorrow. TWO ENGINEERS WOUNDED Men Believed to Have Been Hart In Cambral Operations. WASHINGTON, Dec. 13. General Pershing has reported the names of two engineers wounded -n action on December-10. Thay are: Private Elnar C. Bryn, severely wounded, Brooklyn, N. Y. Private Isidore Kanner, slightly wounded. New York City. These two engineers are believed to have been wounded in the Cambral op erations. General Pershing also reported the death of Private Clyde A. Koblentz, In fantry, on December 3, of myocarditis and lobal pneumonia. His home is in Long Bottom, O. Sliylocks Gouge Soldiers. TACOMA, Wash., Dec. 13. (Special.) Officers and enlisted men have com plained to Prosecuting Attorney Re man n against money lenders whom, they allege, are extorting tremendous interest from soldiers on petty loans. It is said that some of the shylocks have signed up contracts calling for as high as 50 per cent interest for three months, or the equivalent of 200 per cent a year. The Prosecutor has start ed an investigation. Spanish Parliament to Dissolve. : MADRID, Dec. 13. The Cabinet has decided on the immediate dissolution of Parliament and the calling of new elections. .. ....... COUNT BERNSTORFF INVOLVED IN PLOT Evidence Indicates ex-Ambas-i sador Figured in Anti British Scheme. IMPORTANT LETTERS READ Teuton Diplomat In 1916 Protested , Against Seizure of Ship Carry- j lug Arms and Ammunition to Far East. SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. IS. Count von Bernstorff. former German Am bassador to the United States, demand ed the release of a cargo shipment of thousands of. rifles and miilions of roiThds of ammunition, seized by the United States because of its suspicious destination, according to evidence in troduced in the trial here today of a. number of Hindus and others charged with fomenting a revolutionary move ment against British rule in India. - Three letters written by Von Bern storff to Secretary of State Lansing in 1916 protesting the seizure of -the steamer Annie Larsen and the seques tration of her cargo of guns and am munition by the United States were in troduced Into the evidence. - Von Bern storff held In the letter that an opinion of the Attorney-General that the seiz ure was legal was null and void be cause the destination of the shipment was plainly announced as German East Africa. The Government is endeavoring to connect the shipment with an alleged conspiracy to arm and equip native forces in India to effect a revolution ary government there. Witnesses have Indicated that this supposed conspiracy was abetted by German diplomacy and finances. Snip Taken to Hoqnlam. The Annie Larsen was taken into the port of Hoquiam, Wash.. by United States naval vessels after she had set sail from San Diego with a cargo of rifles, carbines and ammunition con signed to that port by Hans Tauscher, agent of the Krupps in New York, ac cording to testimony offered today by Henry Muck, manager of a munitions distributing company in New York, of which Tauscher was the head. The shipment was sent from New York late In 1914, and consisted of 16 carloads of war material. Muck testified that another shipment of war materials was subsequently made up In New York for shipment to Batavia, Island of Java. This shipment was refused by a steamship company and was subsequently stored and resold. Evidence of the purchase of two big shipments of arms and other munitions totaling $196,000 and $76,000, respect ively, through Tauscher, In this coun try, at the direction of Captain von Papen, military attache of the German embassy at Washington, also was in troduced by Muck. This first purchase Is supposed to have made up the cargo of the Annie Larsen. The second is the shipment that was refused transporta tion. Japanese Official Involved. A high official of the Japanese gov ernment was linked with a proposed conspiracy to foment revolution against British rule in India when evidence was given today in the trial of 31 al leged conspirators to the effect that this official had secreted Hiramba Lai Gupta, Indicted Hindu, not in custody. lor four months while British secret service and military operatives searched Tokio in vain for him. The Japanese official, whose name was not given, later secured safe pass age from Tokio to San Francisco for Gupta. This testimony was given by Detective Sergeant George T. Barwitz, of the New York police department, who said the revelations had been made to him by Gupta, while the latter was in his custody on a charge .of partici pating in a bomb explosion. HELMSMAN HELD AS SPY (Continued From First Page.) Imo, Judging by the force of the col lision, seemed to have great speed. The captain said he turned his ship to the left and gave two short blasts. The ships then had each other on the right side and were 50 feet apart. Asked if the vessels would not have passed at a distance of 60 feet if no other change was made, the witness said this was so, as the Imo was trav eling obliquely up the harbor. The Xmo then signaled she was "going astern at full speed.", Ship Abandoned . by Crew. Captain Lamodec said he saw the Imo's propeller was. going astern, but she kept ahead. He then signaled his engines astern and put the helm to starboard so that the Imo would not strike the hold where the picric acid was, as he knew the impact would set it on fire. He was not successful. The effect of the collision was im mediate. Thick black smoke poured from the hold. He thought the ship was to be blown up at once. It was Impossible to put out the fire. In order not to sacrifice lives uselessly he ordered the crew to abandon the ship. Perfect order was maintained. He gave the order to get away from the ship and make for the east shore. He called the roll when they landed and 'found only one man missing. Eighteen to 20 minutes elapsed before the explosion. Isao Signals Wrongly. Captain Lamodoc added that this was the first time he had aver been in Hal ifax harbor. Cross-examined by coun sel for the owners of the Imo, the wit ness said the Mont Blanc was not car rying a red flag or anything to indi cate ' that she had explosives aboard. Ha asserted that the international nav igation rules did not call for flying a red flag when loading munitions. He was not aware that all munitions ships sailed with a flag in peace time. He was the last man. ha asserted, to leave the ship after the explosion. Asked if he understood what the Imo's two blasts meant. Captain Lamo dec said he thought she was signalling wrongly, but as he had signalled his course first he had no right to change it except in case of collision. Ha de clared the Imo was half a mile away when he first saw her, that there wah a perceptible interval between the blowing of the whistles and that th collision took place immediately after the Imo signalled she was going astern. The ship's full speed at the time was seven and one-half knots. Italians Heceive Ambulances. MILAN. Dec 12. The first two am bulance sections presented by the American Red Crossi were turned over to the Italian Army .today. . . . and Saturday. IIIIIIlIIIIIIIIIIIIItirfllllllllllllflllltllllllllMflfllTIIIIIMfllflllllllTIITIMIIMIIIIIII llillllllllllllltlllllllillillllllllllllllltllltlllllllltlllllllllllllllltllllllllillllllllll ' " .fir! i -'J " : i BSI Gillette MI'S. 0 Pi-1 You know Gillette Safety Razors. We have the full line of standard and .traveling; sets. $5 to $20 ONLY A FEW DAYS LEFT TO OBTAIN Special Greeting Cards Our line is new and attractive. Gentlemen's Correspondence Paper 75 sheets excellent paper with envelopes to match, $1.25 Gift Boxes of Stationery 50c to $10.00 Cards, Ribbon, Tinsel, Tissue, Seals, Stickers and attractive Wrapping for your Christmas packages, at reasonable prices. REMEMBER THAT A TRAVELING BAG $8.75 longer than January 1st. This price is now less than the wholesale factory price. The sale quantity is limited by us. 11 Dolls and Tovs H FREE One 25c Novelty Kewpie E Doll with each purchase of $1.00 or more in our Toy Department today and to- morrow. $1 American Unbreakable Dolls, "7 q in many styles and sizes. Special 7C 11 $1.00 Teddy Bears for .79 1llflItIIIlIIIIIIIIllIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII1ll1IIIII1II1IIfIITtIIIIIflflirTIIfIIIIII1IIIllIIIfIIIIIIIIIlllIIIII1irilIIIIIIIIflfflfllll1IIT!lflIIItl!lII lillllillllSllillllllllillltllll.lllllitlililtlililllllllllillllltlllllllllllllllllillllllllllllllllllllsalllllllilllllllllillllllllllllllilllJIIillill T Austrian Battle Craft Torpe doed by Italians. PROJECTILES WELL AIMED Attacking Torpedo-Boats, After Go ing Through Intense Artillery Kire, Return In Safety to Home Bases. .New Tork. Dec. 13. The torpedoing of two Austrian battleships in the harbor of Trieste by Italian torpedo craft on the night of December is reported in a message received here today by Commander C. Pftster. of ths Italian Navy. The information was contained In a telegram received by Commander Pfister from Captain U Vannutelli, the naval attache of the Italian Embassy at Washington. "After successfully crossing several obstructions and mine fields." the dis patch said, "the Italian torpedo craft entered the harbor of Trieste, where they fired four torpedoes. The pro jectiles reached their targets and ex ploded. "Though the most intense artillery fire was concentrated against the at tacking torpedo boats, and though even torpedies were fired against them, all of our units returned safely and un hurt to their home bases " A London dispatch received Wednes day quoted a Vienna official statement as saying the Austrian battleship Wien was sunk on Sunday night, the data mentioned in the foregoing communi cation. Most of the crew was saved, tha London message stated. The waters in which the vessel was sunk were not named, however. The Wien is a ship of the Monarch type. The Wien, Monarch and Buda pest were built in 1895 and 1S96. They are registered as carrying comple ments of 111 men. They wars 323 feet WOWARSHIPS SUNK Our stock is overflowing with Christmas Suggestions and the 20 EXTRA S. & H. Trading Stamps mean just that much more discount on your purchases today Sets When your physi cian prescribes Aspirin We supply the gen uine BAYER prod uct in original pack ages : 1 dozen.. 20d 2 dozen. -35d 100 . . S1.25 Fabrikoid fin ish cases, lined with White, Green, Blue and Purple Satin. Priced from S10.00 to S37.50 according to the number of fittings. HOTPOINT ELECTRICAL GIFTS Are Sensible, Practical, Useful, Appropriate HOTPOINT TOASTER Mm always makes one of the best and most appreciated gifts. Our heavy-weight, genuine cowhide bag, with leather lining, will not be priced at Makes good toast quickest right on the dining table. Fitted with detachable rack, $5.00 Sf is very extensive, rang , ing in price from S1.00 to S35.00 We are now offering SPECIALS on many handsome cases, made on genuine English pigskin and morocco, at 1-3 OFF It,' .'V Always S. & long, 66 feet beam. They were armed with four nine-Inch and 20 guns of smaller calibre. Each had two torpedo tubes. PAKIS. Dec. 13. In the week ending December 8 only one French steamship of more than IsOO tons was sunk by German submarines. None under that tonnage was lost. Three French ves sels were attacked, but none of them was destroyed. No fishing vessels were sunk. WATER USERS VOTE CHANGE Khuiiatli Irrigation District Will Furnish Water for County. K LA MATH FALLS. Or., Dec 13. (Special.) With a total opposition of but five votes out of 169 cast by the water users of Klamath County, It was voted to change from the Klamath Wa ter Uwra' Association to the Klamath It's the things that are out of sight that count in clothes building. Two garments of the same cloth may be five dollars apart in price and yet the higher priced be the cheaper in the long run ! That's why it pays to buy of a store that's proud of its reputation. New Winter Overcoats $20 to $65 Superior Values at -$30, $35, $40 Buffum & Pendleton Co: Clothiers, Hatters and Haberdashers 127 Sixth St. F.N.Pendleton .Winthrop Hammond BRING THIS COUPON AND GET 20-Extra-20 "8. & IL" Trading Stamps on your first $1 cash pur chase and double on the balance. Good on first floor and in basement today and Saturday, December 14, 15. Playing Cards 11 7 m Leather! ' Cases with Score Card Pads. A gift much appreci ated. $1.50 . Sets at special, each $1.15 IVORY PYRALIN TOILET SETS Many Styles to Choose From HOTPOINT PERCULATORS Various styles and sizes. Inexpensive to operate. Begin perco lation one-half minute after current is turned on. Coffee ready in six or eight minutes. $4.50 to $7.50 3 OUR SHOWING OF JEWEL BOXES ' r;:i ... 'i.,U.;i.'i:-".W''U i ALDZX STEECTAT WEST fWBK MAB SMALL TOO -HOME A 6171 i H." Stamps First Three Floors. Irrigation District, thus taking advan tage of laws recently passed by the state Legislature, and also following the example of a large per cent of the other reclamation projects. The change is heartily recommend ed by the officials of the Reclamation Service, who polt out the fact that under this regime all lands included in a project are forced to bear a part of the expenses of the project, and also that farmers under the ditches now will be able to take advantage of the Fed eral loan system. Read The Oree-onlan classified ads. Cuticura Soap Is Ideal For the Hands