El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-04-20

FOLKS here at home, the great IN
1 knowing populace OF these United
states, are thoroughly unlnforned on
what our motor cars and trucks are
doing for the armies we are sending
abroad.
Three men. three whose names nave
seldom appeared in dispatches or
gracsd- the columns Of front page
stories n the press, are working
wonders with automobile and truck
divisions. Quietly, but with remark
able efficiency, Brig. Gen. q. L. Rog-
ers, Col 2. Il Pope and MAJ. Barrett
andrews have speeded Up this phase
% the service until the motor trans
Do-t section stands out as the pace
maker for AL departments OF United
States service IN Europe.
MAJ. Andrews, who was in Wash
1uEton recently On q special mission,
fresh from the front, sheds much
light on the motorized branch OF war
work
Forty percent Of the automobiles
used abroad are closed cars and most
" these are used by officers The Of
-icer's car Is practically his home he
-id5s IN j., works in it-often while
travelling from one point 70 another
and directs the conduct Of most Of his
T. Mud. dust, rain. slset. and other
elements against which the touring
car IS no protection, must be barred
ont q his office. Hence the closed
car
The roads in France are IN splendid
condition OF repair. Even ~ 70 the
communicating trenches, just behind
the first lines highways are IN good
shape They have 70 be There are
constant streams Of trucks moving TO
ana from ammunition. food and pro-
vision dumps and the feeder trenches
through which fresh troops reach
front lines and others return on re-
Roads Are Good.
The SHELTON roads one hears
1Iaj. Andrews. The smoke and gas
from an exploded Jack Johnson
have hardly escaped, the crater OF
earth has hardly cooled before q sec
Ion gang Is Al work repairing Il Be
cause trains Of 50 20 500 motor trucks
are moving constantly 10 and from
-he front, the necessity for keeping
-l5 road 81 repair is obvious. The
very efficient French military police, Z
composed OF old or partially tncapaci- {
-ated soldiers, fiji the duties Of q
great traffic squad Their work is
rle sane as that OF our metropolitan
golice-to keep the traffic moving
and weed out obstacles that might
interfere with its steady movement. I
Each fleet OF ten trucks has a ne
lhanic, skilled IN quick repair and I
adj uE-D6 uL II one CT the trucks In 4
This group goes wrong, he fixes q II
The fixing can be quickly accom- I
pliEhed. II not, the truck is run of 4
The road and out OF the way, so that I
the rest OF the convoy may proceed 4
without delay
Night Guides for Drivers.
Al each SIDE OF each road there are 1
- by - inch beams, laid end 20 end i
Tor the many miles from base to .
front These serve as night guides
fOr truck drivers. because no lights {
whatever are permitted Even tail
lights are taboo. because likelihood OF ]
5reakags OF The red glass discs Is !
great. Night driving, therefore, IS ]
Zone in absolute darkness, the drivers
Keeping 70 the right % the road and
guided BY che bump-bump bump OF
he heavy wheels against the thick
beams.
me center OF the road is always
kept open for dispatch and officers
cars And because there IS often
( CON Tor only one passenger car on
he crown OF me road the trucks, be-
ing slower. must keep TO the extreme
right and left Of the highways After
each tenth truck there is q ram" or
island for one automobile 10
urn ia So that another from the op-
Z ~a--1 A-- I------ may PASS A--1 t7--AA-
truck has q large white circle painted
1u its side which may readily be dis
serned On the darkest nights. This
indicates the presence OF the "ram''
for the officers car TO turn IN while !
he approaching car passes.
To the natural question as 20 how
1riFers can see On pitch black nights
-cigaret IS the answer. a pin-point
u red fire, readily seen at so yards.
IS yet obscure from enemy alrplane
syes. These are the only lights.
IN plateau country. trucks and cars
seldom get closer than $500 TO 5000
Yards back Of the trenches. In billy
" mountainous country they are
driven up almost as close as the third
inc
Trucks Garry Troops.
There is practically no marching o.
.roops Motor trucks carry them to &,
md from the trenches. This elimi- !
lates much WEAKNESS for the men ]
and much delay fl transportation.
Group zones, IN which two or three
Kinds OF trucks are used 70 the eIclu- {
ZION OF other makes are a recent de- Z
development This permits mechanics {
% specialize and allows for inter {