New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-02-20

the Motor Truck Club In its move
toward organizing the motor truck
owners of this city into a voluntary
military body. He told of the part
taken by the transport in the activi-
ties Of an army. Just "a in the days
of Napoleon. an army travels on Its
belly, said Major General Reagan, and
therefore il is highly important that
supplies be carried without Interrupt
ton from the base Of supplies estab.
hshed at the railhead 70 the field
quarters.
In organizing a truck reserve corps,
as proposed by the truck club, Major
Reagan suggested that the club obtain
the enrolment of all trucks in this dis-
triLt that could be made available for
military purposes; that records be
compiled showing the type OF truck,
owner, everyday service and where the
tru.k could be obtained upon the short
est notice. These enrolments, he said,
would be gladly received at the New
York headquarters Of the National
Guard.
With sufficient enrolments obtained
the trucks could be divided into tenta-
tive companies, each company consist
ing o. twenty-eight vehicles, one of
VIII IN was TO be assigned to repair
service exclusively. Morale can be
Blu 1t up in a voluntary organization
the same as in the regular branch Of
the militia; morale being, he said,
merely spirit Of enthusiasm and CO.
operation. This could be attained
through instruction and familiarity Of
the individuals with the various duties
they are expected TO perform.
III -
master Corps, n. c., n. Y. in talking
on the motor truck In the quartermas-
ters' department, told of the improve
ments that could be made in tins
branch Of the service through the
adoption of the motor vehicle. However,
ne held that there was still need for
the horse and mule, for while the
motor vehicle might be capable Of
Transporting supplies far from the rear
of the fighting line to tho base Of
supplies, horses and mules. as indl-
Gated in the present war, are still
necessary in taking these supplies
from the base 10 the actual fighting
line, where tractionable roads are
generally a negligible quantity. There
il still some doubt, said Captain Shan
ton. as TO the type OF truck best
adapted to military service, especially
in the matter of drive construction. The
vehicles with the drive from the rear
wheels are all right on good roads,
but the quad or front wheel drive
trucks are best adapted 10 all-around
service, in his opinion. He said that
his experience in charge OF the We
hicles OF the New York City Police De-
partment emphasized the need for
Standardization of the types of ve-
hicles in military service.
The need for Standardization OF
equipment was emphasized by Captain
Kenneth Gardner, 7th Infantry, y. e..
y. Y, who declared that the present
war illustrated the benefits and advan-
tages 10 be gained by the use of the
same type of vehicles in the different
transportation companies. Germany
France, Russia and Austria all took up
the subject of standardizing their mo-
tor vehicles some time ago, and when
the war broke out they were in posi-
tiOn TO assign trucks to divisions all
containing the same makes and with
interchangeable parts. He said that IN
Paris LOO motor buses were built
along specifications laid down by the
French government and were standard
lied in groups of twenty-five or SO, all
of French make. Germany had 5000
vehicles in service similar to our rural
mail delivery, which, when the war
started. were divided into fleets of
identical makes and each accompanied
by repair truck carrying parts which
could be used by any of the machines
IN its company.