New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-06-26
HORSE FAMINE
GRAVE MENACE,
SAYS MENKEN
Vice-PreSident of Security
League Sounds Warning
as War Threatens.

Ol lOO,uUU lNclu0eS the most pToBltS-
sive citizens of every state Of the
Union, finds a grave menace in the
scarcity of army horses, and Vice-Pres-
ident S. Stanwood Menken. when seen
on Saturday, sounded warning which
should find an echo from coast 10 coast.
81 am told that, with many districts
yet to hear from, the army authorities
at Washington have applications for
$4,000 head OF horses for immediate
cavalry and light artillery service.
Connecticut wants 1900, and other
states are lacking in proportion. The
last census, at the close of 1915, shows
that the United States had almost o.
100000 head of horses, but investigs-
tion by Major General Aleshire, Quar-
termaster General of the army, taken
last January, disclosed the fact that Of
this number not more than 10000 were
of the proper type, and of those not
more than 10000 were available for i'm
mediate service.
This is alarming when It is under
stood that the Mexican campaign will
be one where cavalry will be largely
employed, and the nature of the coun-
try makes the possession of good ami
mails imperative.
Need cavalry hOrSes-
1.-THE cavalry type OF horse has not
been produced systematically in the
United States" continued Mr.. Menken,
land IL required this Mexican trouble
TO bring US TO a realization Of our
weakness In this respect While for
eign governments have been expert
menting and perfecting a type that
would be most acceptable, horse breed
ing In our country has been aimless,
except in the production of heavy draft
or light harness horse types, and in
some instances the breeding OF thor
oughbreds for racing.
"The bulk of the 100000 we have
to-day are utterly untitled for war,
which calls for a quick moving, strong,
courageous animal to carry men or
guns into positions of vantage or TO
elude an enemy. France and Germany,
Russia, Austro- Hungary and Italy have
found the answer TO the problem by
crossing the thoroughbred or blooded
horse on the native grades, and each
country has established a type en-
bodying the qualities which make for
success in campaign where fatigue,
shock OF wounds and other rigors must
be overcome. England, through racing
airy remounts when the war broke out,
but she, too, has fallen into line and
established a governmental stud.
THE governments of these countries
outside Of Great Britain" continued
Mr.. Menken, "have long considered the
breeding of the cavalry and light ar
tillery horses of vital importance. They
have spent vast sums for thoroughbred
sires-more than 100000 for single
specimens-and, realizing that racing
was essential in order TO bring out the
qualities they wanted 10 incorporate in
their army horses, they have subsidized
the sport.
1.-THE Graditz Stud, in Prussia, is a
notable example Of Germany's farsight-
edness in this respect, as they maintain
I that establishment exclusively for rae
ing, and no sire is considered worthy
of reproducing himself until he has
demonstrated his qualities in contest.
Farmers and horse breeders have ac-
cess TO these sires at a low fee, and
the governments are ready to purchase
the offspring at three years Of age.
$4,000 Appropriated.
Realizing the merits of the system
pursued abroad" resumed the speaker,
"our army authorities inspected the
Continental plan Of horse breeding and
tried TO duplicate it in a small way
here. Thoroughbred, standard bred
and Morgan sires were donated or
bought, and the work was launched IN
a small way in 1913 under the animal
husbandry branch of the Department
of Agriculture. A special appropria
ton of s50,O00-less than one-half
what Germany gave for a single Eng
lish sirc-was set aside for the work.
Despite this meagre award the work
showed progress from the start, but, TO
the dsmay of those interested in the
project, the fund was cut 10 $4,000 IN
1914, $4,000 in 1918, while for the cur
rent year it stands at $4,000, and there
was a desire on the part of some of the
members of the committee 70 eliminate
il entirely And this in spite of the
fact that the Allied countries have
taken from us more than one million
head of the very type Of horse We need
to-day, many of them mares that
should have been kept for breeding
purposes. These purchases began at
the outbreak Of the war and agents of
these countries are still busy"
what would you do to remedy the
situation ?" Mr.. Menken was asked.
81 would favor the passage or the
Pittman -Scully bill for the appropria-
ton of 100000 TO place sires Of the
proper blood in different states Of the
Union where they could be utilized for
the improvement of the general horse
product Of the country, particularly
those Of the cavalry remount and light
artillery type. Every military author
ity. including Generals Wood and Scott
ere on record as favoring the thorough.
bred for an officers mount and halt
or three-quarter bred animal for the
trooper