The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1915-05-19
Shepherd Finds That This Nation Ha,>
Failed to Realize Value of Gasoline
Transports in Warfare.
USED DURING MEXICAN TROUBLE
British Lack Sufficient Mules-Amer-
lean Airmen Must Accomplish
Much to Equal Englishmen.
BY WILLIAM SHEPHERD.

Headquarters OF the British army
Northern France, April 21.-(By
mail to New York. IA year ago
was with the American army at Vera
Cruz and though conditions there
were highly different from those pre-
vailing here, nevertheless, the oppor.
tunity for measuring the American
army by what l see of the British
army is too obvious to overlook.
The first thing that strikes me is
how we seem to have nder-estimated
gasoline transports. There was not
single automobile transport on the
boats that brought Gen. Frederick
Funston's troops to Vera Cruz II
"Forward into Mexico" had been the
orders from Washington, it's easy
to understand, Judging from what I've
seen of automobile transport in the
ward march would have been a crawl
instead of rush. True enough, the
roads in the Vera Cruz district were
jungle paths, but miles of roads have
been built in Europe since the war
began, solely for transports services,
as our men could have built them if
the need arose.
Funston's men would have marched
and marched, day after day, perhaps
ten miles; perhaps, in stretch,
twenty miles while here with the
British army am daily seeing armies
as large as Gen. Funston's move in
single convey as great a distance
as twenty miles an hour and put down
at the end of their destination as
fresh as when they got up in the
morning.
Picked Up in Europe.
The thing that strikes me now is
that Gen. Huerta's, Mexican army
that l saw so much of during the
months before his downfall did have
motor transports. Their great ler-
ries dashed about the capitol and in
the mountain roads; their armored
fighting cars were ready, everywhere.
I suppose some of the Mexican officers
who had been trained in the mill
tary schools of Europe had picked up
the idea Of military auto transports.
The little green automobiles, with
long wooden seats, which could carry
twelve Mexican soldiers each, would
have hurried the Mexican troops
around in spots where Gen. Funston
might not have expected to find them
and got them away again before the
Americans could lay either hands or
bullets on them.
This is not meant to say that the
American army is without gasoline
land transports. Perhaps the "war
experts" in Mexico who advised the
war department as to conditions there
gave i'll advice. However, the fact
remains that Gen. Funston was sent
to Vera Cruz without gasoline trans
ports, and the Mexicans had automo-
bile transports that were fitted for
Mexican roads.
British Lack Mules.
Returning to the comparison be-
tween the British and Vera Cruz
American army, the lack of mules is
noticeable with the British The
great Missouri jacks that outlast a
horse and follow like crows or sheep
the tinkling bell of their leader, are
only beginning to be enlisted in the
British army The British have
plenty of horses. In fact their army
animals that have been developed
through their system of racing
American horses are not an uncommon
sight, however, but they've got half
brothers at home, in Missouri, who
would have stood the journey over
here just as we'll as they did and
would have done half again as much
work in the mud of Flanders. The
great Flanders horses, famous
throughout the world, are beautiful
nerve" said an English army hostler
when they get sick they give uI
the fight and lay down and die, right
there"
This is a complaint that has never
been heard against the American
army mule. On the whole the Mis-
souri, mule ought to be proud pos
session of the American army, ever
though he is not so speedy as gaso
line.
Gen. Funston took plenty of then
to Vera Cruz, together with the biz
army wagons that the American army
mule fiirts around with.
The flying men with Gen. Funston
at Vera Cruz belonged to the navy
not the army. Not one in the arm,
corps had any chance for practic,
under war conditions at Vera Cruz
There were no spots round. the Mexi
can seaport where a land machine
could have alighted and, of neces
(Non<1nnoA IN nooa