Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-06-25
HOW MOTOR TRUCKS AID
j. S. SOLDIERS IN MEXICO
Availability OF Trucks. Driven by
Four-Whecl Power, Made Inva-
sion of Mexico Possible.
MILITARY TESTS BEGAN IN 1912
Four-Mulc Escort Wagons Displaced
by Powerful Trucks, Which TRAY
elcd Through Hub-Deep Mud and
Sand in Pursuit OF Bandit villa.

1.-Two expedition INTO Mexico. Without
motor transport the United States
military authorities would have been
compelled TO purchase many hundreds
49, Of additional four-mule army escort
wagons and thousands OF animals.
There would also have been over 1000
ezra mule drivers The expense of
purchasing and operating this equip
maNt would have been simply enor-
nous. ana the mobility OF the cXpcd
ton would have been seriously i'm
paired. writes Henry Farrincton.
1t is practically a certainty that IL
motor trucks had not been available.
there would either have been no cN-
peditior into Mexico. or tho United
states and Carrau2a would have been
at war Ions before this. For ii would
have hccn necessary to seize the Next
can railroads in order 10 make amy
appreciate progress III the chase after
the outlaw bands OF tho baudi; Villa.
And that would almost certainly have
meant war.
Truck Success Due 4" business Mcn.
America owes what success the Next
can expedition has had Ia her pro-
greSsivo business men. In European
countries. especially Germany. Austria.
France aud Russia. il was due TO tho
foresight OF the military authorities
tina, motor trucks were available when
war broke out. This was brought
about by the various systems OF motor
lorrv Subvontions that obtain To "a
greater or less degree. IN practically
all European countries. In the United
States there is no subsidy for motor
wagons Hence. when the Washington
government decided 10 60 after Villa.
i, the business demand for motor trucks
had put the American motor-truck
: manufacturers in a position TO furnish
.. on very short notice large quantities
of motor trucks suitable to greater
o. less degree for military transport
work
that the military men themselves we're
at all backward On tho contrary, they
did wonders with the small funds
placed At their disposal by the success
sive Congresses at Washington for the
purchase OF military motor-truck
equipment
Military rruck rest In Iot.
- Aithouch experiments with motor
trucks We're made by American Army
i officers rs far back az nine or ten
wears AGO the first serious experiment
toward improving military road trans
portation was made in the summer Of
1917. when a competitive test Of va
rious makes, types and capacities OF
s.motor trucks. loaned FOR the purpose
by truck manufacturers. was made be-
tween Dubuque. la. and Sparta. wis.
This experiment. was not at all con-
elusive. eNccpt in TWO important par
ticulars. 1t was shown beyond the
shadow Of doubt that while the ordi-
nary truck 81 commerce was ~ We
efficient aud economical machine FOR
use on q fairly good road. il failed
c"mp!cte!y under army service coud
tons III TN" field when IL was required
to travel through hub-dccp mud or
sand aud over steep grades and rough
country II was also proved 10 the
I-satlS'acton Of the military officers
shat motor truck having load-car-
tying capacity Of one and onc-halr to
live tons was the most Scrviceable size
fer use under bad road conditions
me t"st was very successful and
unqueStonahir resulted in many i'm
truck design and manufacture within
the following TWO or three wears
Requirements for Military Trucks.
~" report OF the military officers
'naKinc IN" Dubuque Sparta test prac-
tital!N outlined the service conditions
TOY IN" perfect military motor truck
winch ala not exist at that time
Boiled down 10 its essentials. tho re-
port defined a perfect truck as "A ma
chine thai would 20 anywhere a four
mule army escort wagon could traye,
ReaolNc between III" lines. i: is an
parent Their" was only one tvpe OF
Venice which stood any chance Of full
nll!nS these apparently impossihl. 70
rqui'em"nts. ana that was a truck with
-p"""r applied to all four wheels and
IL positive n"nslippnr drive to each
Vince; Ihat i>'.to sax. the truck should
be able TO proceed when any one. Two
ha
unable to @r!2 the road surface
IN" United States Army has aIro,d,.
nne 20" 81 these truck. in service
iheN wer" first used on active service
IN me recent expedition into tho island
republic OF Haiti W H. wbirb ,v.s :,
FAR more important military unnor
tahInr than most people imagine l.,
Mas completely ovcrshadowed a, ,ha
tinc by The greater war in Eurnnn
- matter OF fact in one battle in
.tsaV,
killed over 500 Of the insurrents
ne roads in Naiti arc as bad as am,
,na' can b" found in this country. and
ms - statement which is as strong
a. IS p"SSihic % make. The Haitian
expedition was served 10y a flee, OF ~
teen motor trucks Of the TYNE. ma,
ufiN@s brakes and steers or an fnn~
wheels, and these We're the only trans
port vehicles used
Truck Nindicmtc. I. s Army
IN MeN'co At the prcscn, time there
ere l'2 Hf these remarkable machines
operating from Columbus and o,bcr
points on IA" Texas border 10 the FUR
the!lnns' American army camps in Mex
20 There arc also {. number Of ,c,r
dr!ve trucks used I'm simila, work. I'm,
IN N" defn mud and sand aud up me
Halrpin Turn south of Casas C;rnndcs
IN" aI.-0TlNe trucks are called upon TO
TOW nc rear-driyo marhr IS Thcy
ar" the only trucks sent out in had
weather when tho 'orrcutial rains ~
MeNico turn me ru,ted trails mo y,
Yeritable sea 81 mud
mere are ~" ermorHd motor TRUCKS
heinE used in Mexico bv the I-ui,ed
States Army although one comp,ny
mas desigued auG bull, several tvpcs
OF armored bodies for the truck ina,
drives. brakes and steers on ,l fnur
wheels The experience Of the Euro.
pean armies and various experiments in
thts country tend 10 show that an arr
mcred motor truck has a yn,,. III, j.. -,
use In active service being too ha,vy
and Cumhersom"
hTe carly tyres of atrnored motto,
trucks were found 20 10 yulnor.,f,lo -
the modern hich-veIoci,y rie. h,,ri.,
and totally inadequate aeaiuy; arm.
lery fire Better steel and thicker ma.
terial Increased the resistance Of The
armor plate. but the additional weigh,
made the armored cars practically un-
manageable. except uuler deal cord,.
tion%, and mechanical trouble was
lIkeiy 70 develop in consequence ~ INC
inevitable Overlooking of tho ,,,t.L