The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-06-22
.EUROPE'S TROOPS GO
{ TO WAR IN BUSES
Street Cars Take You Right Up
to Battle Line--Hiking A.
most Thing Of Past.

PARIS, June 22.-The day OF hiking
n gone. Nowadays the soldier goes to
battle Just as you 60 to your office.
store or mill1n a street car or its
equivalent, the notorious.
Even so short a time ago as the be-
ginning OF the great European war this
was not the, case. Trains carried most
OF the troops to within a few miles
from the battlefield and from that point
on they marched afoot In the good. old
A few thousand men went into. the
battle Of the Marine in taxicabs from
Paris. This, too. probably never VIII
happen again. ,,,
street cars all along the front. The
only difference is, there are more mo-
torbusses in the fighting zone than
there are on the most frequent run In
New York. Chicago or any other large
They form almost endless professions.
Down the long stretches OF fine French
roads one sees buses. and nothing but
buses.
II ls great thing for the soldier.
Ho ends a period Of repose In an en-
campment back OF the line some place,
steps out the door Of his billet and
boards a street car"
Pack on his back, gun between his
knees, he and his thousands OF bunlies
sft in easy-rlding motorbusses and re-
BY taking advantage or the darkness
and the many good roads. new and old.
he rides almost up to the very trench
Then he gets out. The troops he re-
places. troops who have been on the
Job for several days and are now ready
for a rest. some out Of the trenches.
cit down in the motor buses. and ride
a few miles back into the country.
It Is Just Ige the shift hour IN a
big factory. The new hands fall OF
the street cars and go to work: the
off-shft pour out Of the factory and
onto the street cars for a ride home
Il is rare to see soldiers nowadays
worn out ty long marches. Infantry
on the hike Is a comparatively unknown
thing. Near Vordun 1 saw several de-
tachments Ct men standing in line by
asked questions. why?
Walt a minute" said a stan cap
tain. wait until we get round tho bend
In the road"
When we got round tho bend in the
road there were the waiting buses.
The men had simply gotten out to
They take good care Of the fighting
men In General Joffre's armies.
Formerly the infantry marched along
dusty roads, their officers riding at
their sides on horseback. To-day the
men street-car tc war. their command
The o defense 0e q ' Rerdu IN ! %ss pannea
cAcCuttu ING buppobltioh thht hO
railroads were available. Every move
was by motor.
Inc artillery, big guns and little.
which used to be drawn slowly into
action behind weary horses. now dash
UP to their positions mounted bodily on
rapid motor trucks.
It is quite a common sight to see
several batteries Of 75s, caissons and
guns both. loaded upon high-horse-
powered trucks. sailing down the road
like a streak.
Motor buses and trucks are prac-
tcaliy standardized now. Inc same
motor hauls guns, shells, soldiers. car
tridges. grenades, food. That is, they
can haul them IL necessary. or course,
for the sake of order, there are motor
trains for every purpose and ordinarily
they work to that purpose.
Still, II re-enforcements are needed.
an ammunition train. under the present
arrangement. can be almost instantly
converted into a troop train.
The battle of Nerdun was almost a
battle of motor buses. The success or
the French in STAYING on the German
drive was a success OF the up-to-date
system OF street-carring to war.