South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-06-10
TH0ROUGHBREDS
ARE NECESSITY
Horse Is Still an Indispensable
National Asset Especially
IT. War Time.

Associated Press Service.
NEW YORK. June s.-Owners
and breeders % thoroughbred horses
for racing and other purposes insist
that the horse still Is an indispen-
sable national asset NOtwithstand-
Ing the enormous number OF motor
vehicles now used in warfare they
claim that he British government
has purchased considerably more
than one million horses and a quar-
ter OF a million mules since the be
ginning Of the European conflict.
SPEAKING on the subject OF breed
ing and procuring horses for mill
tary purposes. Gen. @. T. NJ. Bridges.
chief army representative Of the
British commission, recently said 10
a prominent American racing offic-
ial that he was deeply interested in
this important topic.
In the artillery branch or the
service" Gen. Bridges said. the
horse Is still not only most useful,
but in many instances cannot be re-
placed by tractors or motor vehicles
OF any type Roads are built when
possible, but in the case Of rapid
advance, teams OF eight heavy
draught artillery horses drag their
guns over ground that is absolutely
impossible 10 any motor yet invent
ed In the artillery many light
draught American bred horses are
now used. but for the long pull the
old fashioned type of English
Clydesdale and other English work
ing breeds seem 20 give the best
results. They have size. activity. en-
durance, weight moving capacity.
and courage in plenty. The Anglo
Norman type of horse used by the
French so successfully, and the old
fashioned English heavy draught
horse make the most serviceable ar
tileTy horse From the beginning
of me war to date the supply of
all I, OF horses has been too
sma' % permit US 10 be ultra criti-
ca 8 &c type.
The lsesulness Of the horse is
not con ned TO artillery and cav
airy. T pack horse, though occu-
pying a more humble position, is
none tn, less Indispensable. Mu-
nitions. TODD and water are carried
by him into regions where the mo-
.or cannot penetrate.
AS TO the cavalry horse. Today
the line may be said 10 be one vast
trench from the Channel 10 swift
erland. Consequently the cavalry at
present canno, be used for hank
movements. formerly one of its
chief oFjectives. In rapid move
ments 10 assist In the capture of VIII
lagos ard 10 hold them until rein
forcements are supplied. toe cavalry
is quite frequently used. As a mat
ter OF fact the cavalry today Is
mounted infantry. most useful on &C
count OF its mobility. while In some
instances their mounts are used TO
brinZ infantry 10 the front in quick
order. Each cavalry brigade Is now
armed with "a Cmachine) guns on
pack. every troop having one ma
chine gun and always render good
account OF themselves. Gen. Hais
is a strong believer in the cavalry,
and while today holds IL behind the
lines he will not permit II 10 be de-
creased. When the German line Is
finally broken, the cavalry will be
needed 10 occupy and hold advanced
ground until the arrival of infan-
try and artillery achievements. The
day OF the old-time cavalry charge
has probably passed, but in many
respects the cavalry is still most
serviceable branch of the army.
Officers Mounts.
For the officers mount, always