Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1914-11-24
AMERICAN ARMY
MULE STILL A
GOOD SERVANT
Despite Great Part Gasoline Motors Are
Playing in European War There is no
Fear that Army Mule in United States
Will be Displaced by Machines.
U. S. ARMY is MAKING
EXPERIMENTS ON BORDER
However, il is Not Expected That Use Of
Trucks Will Become General, Except
Where Roads Are Goods as Those to be
Found in European Countries.

Correspondence If the Associated Press
Washington. ID. G.. Nov. 24.-The Amer
lean army mule need nave no fear for his
~laurels because of the great part gasoline
motors have played in transportation prob
lens Of European armies in the present
war. Until American roads generally are
brought up ~ the high standard If the
roads Of Germany. France. Belgium and
other European countries, the army mule
will determine through his capacity fui
hauling. the limitation of operation for
American military forces.
Only one branch II the Unified States
army J. giving serious attention IA motor
traction. In the qu~arterma>ter's depart
ment experiments are being made. par
ticularly along the Texas border. with
handling supplies IN motor trucks. Motor
trucks are IN general use. Of course. about
army posts and wherever good roads are
available. but when manruvrr- take the
columns into the field and the sandy Or
muddy roads, where mere wheels tracks
across the country are the only highways.
the six mule team i still master Of the
transportation situation.
A few years ago II was determined IN
experiment with motor transportation ~ "
means To increase the radius If field ar
tlllery. The most available subject for
tins purpose was the battery wagon. ear
ryIng the FORCES for gun repairs and horse
~h0emg and also the Saddlcr'- equipment.
One such field wagon accompanies every
battery Of artillery IN the field. III trails
along in the rear Of the column and does
not 20 into action. Thus it, activitie, are
largely confined 10 roads although the bat
terry itself must 20 cross lot~ by field and
stream ~ take positions against In ap-
preaching hostile force.
General Crozicr. chief VI the army ord
nance bureau. designed a motor battery
wagon which was tried out in maneuverS.
Ii proved a flat failure for 1t was - heavy
that II broke through bridges. sunk 10 the
hubs in soft roads and generally hamper
cd the battery 20 which Il was attached
The experiment was abandoned and the
ordnance bureau j. now content ~ await
the results of the experiments of the quart
ermaster' department in self propelled
army transportation units. Mule and
horses are good enough for American ar
tlllcrNmen a. yet.
In connection with the newest heavy
siege pieces designed for the American
'army IT was proposed recently Ia expert
ment with European gasoline traction en-
glneS. Arrangements were under way for
the importation Of one Of these Al the time
the European war broke out. Now every
engine 81 hat character has been turned
to actual use abroad and instead Of i'm
porting automobiles or motor trucks. the
United States l. shipping them abroad for
the use of armies there.
In many ways, army officers believe. the
present war will have little effect On the
development Of American military trans
portation equipment. The armies If Ger
many, France and To some extent Eng
land are equipped To fight in the highly
developed territory which i the present
theater Of war. Transfer them to tho III
terror ~ the United States and the greater
part "a their motor equipment and much
RI 'H'N navy dlAHIfIA WOULD DE found al
most useless, it i said. They would have
to be re-equipped with horse and mule
transportation. The difficulties encount-
cred ~ German troops who crossed the
Russian border, officers SAY. were those
81 Transportation. Poor roads made II i'm
possible Tor them ~ move guns and sun
pies a their tactical training directed.
Several big guns were lost without having
hired a shot, il i reported. because they
could not be withdrawn swiftly.
The United States army employees motor
cycles % some extent for orderlies carry
ING messages. Even this j. limited by road
conditions, however, and while suggestions
Tor a motorcycle corps have been made. Sc
rious attention has not been given TO the
subject a. yet A cavalry horse still
answers the purposes Of the army better
than any other means Of communication BY
orderly.