The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1920-04-22
Who won THE WAR?
THE ARMY MULE!
THE AMERICAN MULE FAR SUR
PASSED HIS EUROPEAN
BRETHREN.


Washington, April 19.-Almost ev-
erybody and everything that contri-
buted to the winning of the war has
received some sort of public recogni-
ton from the war department. Even
the patient, long suffering, hard work.
ing and oft rediculed army mule has
at last come to his ecomium in an
appreciation from the quarternaster
general.
| Here follows the dow down" on the
army mule as it comes today in an
official publication. There were more
than $4,000 of them engaged with the
army overseas, and more than 100000
with the troops in the United States
and while there was as much heehaw-
ing, kicking, baking, biting and other
mulish tricks as might be expected,
the army mule lived up to his estab-
lished reputation for enduring, sacri-
fcing and dying like soldier.
They were not all American mules;
some of them were Allies like the
troops they fought with. Seven thou
sand came from England and nine
thousand came from France and an
other eleven thousand came from
Spain.
There was no comparison" said the
quartermaster generals announce
ment between the small, poorly nour-
ished mule secured in Spain, and those
purchased in southern France, and the
powerful, outstanding, mealy-nosed
produce of the Middle West. There
was sharp criticism in some places of
the class of animals which came up
from Spain for duty on the battle
front. But these little animals were
able to haul machine gun carts, re-
leasing the heavy animals for duty
with the artillery and ammunition
trains.
'There were times during the final
stage of the world war when it was
impossible to give much needed rest
to these animals. There were not
enough to do the work which confront
ed them, and the result was that
it was necessary to keep on the move
forty-eight, sixty and sometimes II
hours, with hardly more than pause.
Then it was possible to feed only a
small amount of grain, and few
handfuls of hay. Under this strain
the mule went forward, giving his
all uncomplainingly.
sometimes when exhausted it
would seem impossible to get him
back to the front again, but his pow
erful constitution came to his rescue
and in a remarkably short time he
was able to return to duty. The mule
has always been given the credit of
having his full quota Of brains, but
at times it seemed he had more than
his share. He may run when hitched
to a wagon, but he never does harm
to himself or the wagon. When, tired
he makes his condition known by
quitting. However, his quality did not
come to the fore during the days OF
St. Mihiel and in the Argonne.
"The record of the mule through the
world war has been such as to reflect
much credit upon the dam, the farm
mare of the United States, as well as
upon the long-eared, loose-jointed pro-
genitor of that hybrid, an animal in
dispensable to the success Of our army
in the field.
Instances have been known where
a pack mule would loaf about the
army kitchen while the cook was bak-
ing bread until he observed the cook
busy at some other duty, when ne
would approach the fire, raise one foot
and paw off the lid of the dutch oven,
grab the hot loaf within and make of
with it on the run. He would do the
same thing if he observed a hunk OF
bacon within easy reach"
A good many farmers these days
devoted to their horses, say, "Gosh
darn a mule, anyway" on general
principles, but the army loves and ad-
mires him for service rendered and
would like to see him get the distin-
puished service medal. Perhaps his
valor and constancy in war time will
recommend him to softer sentiments
in times of peace.