Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1917-05-07
irACE SHORTAGE OF
HORSES AND MULES
Importance of Animals to War
fare Pointed out and Bree
ers Urged to Help.
AS NECESSARY AS MEN

properly pIdCeu great eHlPIldSlS ol
maximum crop production this year
equa emphasis. however should be
placed on liv stock production. and
this subject has not received the con.
sideratr it should from the public
press" declares Wayne Dinsmorc
secretary OF the Percheron Society OF
America, with headquarters in Chi
cago.
Our available supply OF meat ami
mails is lower than it has ever been,
in proportion to our population. Ger
many, through the slaughter OF swine,
reduced lis supply Of animal fats to a
point where the nutrition of the entire
nation has been seriously endangered,
and recent reports from the battle
front are the loss Of artillery in
dictate that the Central nations are
also short artillery horses. We know
that German army authorities have
purchased every available horse in
Holland and Denmark since the war
began, and that they have paid as
high as $500 for ycarling colts of
common breeding, which sell in this
country for 500 or less.
Learn By Experience.
Bitter experience has convinced
army men that horses and mules are
as essential in modern warfare as
men and guns. Trucks are invaluable
in transporting supplies from terminal
points to field bases, tanks have their
uses, but in transmitting supplies
from field bases to the firing lines,
horses and mules are indispensable
and under actual battle conditions,
where men and guns must be taken
into position across plowcd fields,
trenches, bitches and shell holes,
horses, and horses alone, can be re-
lied upon to speedily place men and
guns where they are needed, when
they are needed.
SO pressing has been this need
that despite the desperate situation
as to ship bottoms, expectations of
horses have been made steadily and
are still continuing.
The shipment OF more than ,000,-
600 horses and mules to foreign ma
lions has reduced our surplus mater
tally. The needs of the United States
army within the next three years will
be an added drain upon our resources
and there is danger that unless en-
phasis is placed on the necessity of
maintaining our horse breeding oper-
atoms that we will, ere the war is
over, face an actual shortage Of horses
for farm work, city work and for
army uses.
The statement am giving be-
low has been prepared after an ex-
haustive study of the situation.
Requirements in Horses and Mules. +
"The passage of the selcctivc draft
measure by congress makes certain
the immediate preparation and equip
ment OF an army of at least 100000
men in 1917. All preparations are be-
ing made for a,war that will last three
years, for regardless of what civilians
may think, army officials do not ex-
pect an carly ending to the war into
which the United States has been
drawn.
The requirements of cavalry, in
fantry and artillery regiments in
horses and mules are set forth in
letter just received from the War de-
partment, as follows.
Cavalry Regiment, Sal horses, 152 draft
mules, 20 pack animals, riding mules.
Infantry Regiment--6s riding horses, ia
r,af,1 a.lH,
Artillery Regimcnt--i,oo7 horses, IS draft
mules. riding mules,
These are minimum requirements
and do not take into account trans-i
portation trains required to forward
supplies from terminal points to field
bases. In other words, the number OF
animals specified above refer only to
those actually needed with the troops.
Regiment Means $500 Men.
THE war strength Of regiment OF
infantry is approximately 1900 men;
OF a regiment Of cavalry approximate.
ly 800 men; of a regiment of artillery
consisting Of six batteries of four
guns each, approximately LAG men.
While definite information as to the
proportion of infantry, cavalry and ar
tillery to be included in the new army
is not yet forthcoming, it is generally
understood among army officials that
an artillery battery Of four guns will
be allowed for each 1000 infantry.
1t seems probable therefore that
the first 100000 men placed under
arms by the United States will be
composed of 500 regiments OF infantry
totaling 100000 men, IFS regiments OF
artillery totaling l43,250 men and 100
regiments of cavalry totaling 10000
men, making grand total of little
over 100000 men. The proportion
of artillery certainly will not be less,
and may be more, as actual warfare
on European battlehelds has demon-
strated that overwhelming superiority
in the artillery branch of the service
is essential to efficient operation by
the infantry.
Need 100 Cavalry Regiments.
1T may be argued that there is no
probability that the United States will
prepare 100 regiments of cavalry, but
in view of the danger from the Mexi.
can situation, it appears to be the be-
lief OF well informed army officers that
at least that many cavalry regiments
will be provided for in this years
mobilization,
TO equip 500 regiments Of infantr,
will require S4,s00 riding horses, So.
600 draft mules. 1880 pack mules. anc
5000 riding mules. One hundred ant
twenty-five regiments OF artillery vii
require l37,025 horses, 10000 drafl
mules, and 500 riding mules. The
equipment of 100 regiments OF cavalr,
will necessitate $4,000 horses, l5,20t
draft mules, 1900 pack males, and COZ
riding mules. The total number there.
fore required for the equipment of 5U
regiments of infantry, rs OF artillery
and 100 Of cavalry, will amount tc
325,625 horses and 100000 mules.