The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-05-25
MOST IMPORTANT l. FACTOR OF THE WAR Has Been Automobile, Says
 Associated Press Writer INNUMERABLE USES
VULNERABLE US
An Army Crushed No Longer Re mains So, as Endorsements Can Be Sent Up Instantly.
 Transport Problem Solved

General Headquarters British Army, sociated Press.)-"A nation which had ex- clusively the secret of the internal com bustion engine could conquer the world. Under present circumstances, a nation which could corner the gasoline supply would be the dominant military power. The automobile has without question been the most important factor in modern war fare"
 It was at headquarters of the First Brit ish army that an eminent British staff officer made these observations, He had been delivering a quasi-lecture to group of correspondents, explaining the many uses of motor transport.
 Without motor traffic the present great war of Europe would have been imposs,- ble. There would have been great battles, to be sure; great battles such as Gettys- burg and Waterloo; but an army crushed would remain crushed. Today reinforce
 ments can be thrown here and there al- most as a man would fling handful of grain Thousands can be moved miles overnight; thousands can be poured into the trenches in a few hours.
 | One has but to motor over the she'll l pocked fighting area of France and Bel gium to appreciate the importance of the automobile. Painted dull gray, olive drab, | or daubed zebra like, on the principle that l the splotched colors prevent observations | they lumber or whzz, according to their | load and power, over the magnificent | roads of France, most of which are stiil
 in superb condition notwithstanding the
 traffic of war, bearing food, ammunition and supplies at rate that the general | of old never dreamed of. l correspondent of the Associated Press motoring southwest from Ypres. few niles behind the lines of parallel trenches passed hundreds of motor lorries, making their way to rail-head there to collect I supplies which they would carry towarc l the front the next morning. Driven bS bus chauffeurs from the Strand and Pic cadilly. by taxicab drivers from the foul corners of the earth, many from Canada | some from New York. Chicago and Pitts burg. these great cars. lights dimmed crept along in an unbroken stream fo niles, reminding one of the scene on th' roads of Long Island the night befor' the Vanderbilt cup race.
 From the trenches of the contendins armies searchlights thrust thin finger I into the black sky. and every now ant then a magnesium flare, also sent up iron some trench would illuminate the heaven like sheet lightning.
 | Riding with an officer of the genera staff, driven by an American chauffeur 1 formerly mechanic for Barney Oldf.eld the correspondents swept along at 50 mile an hour. threading their way through tn line of lorries, here and there passing in
 fantry moving to the trenches. or bat
 tery changing it's position. Timidly til
 carts of the French peasants hugged tn far side of the road. The horses wer
 invariably white-a color not wanted b
 the army-or so decrepid as to be of n
 military value.
 Hi, there, Out of the way you tn !: American chauffeur would shout. At