The New York herald., 1921-10-16


Special Correspondence to THE NEW York
HERALD.
Copyright, 1921, by THE New York HERALD.
ABERDEEN. Md Oct. 15
TT HE famous army mule that used to
wiggle his ears and then balk dur
ing the most critical moment of
battle is now thing Of the past. He is
cooling his heels in some stable outside
Government reservation, his job having
been taken over by something far less
ohstinate-the tractor.
In future wars every ounce of fighting
material will be transported by machinery
-airplanes to some extent, but for the
most part by motor driven land vehicles
capable of negotiating every kind Of ter
rain at high speed. 1t Is for this that the
United States Army is now building.
During a day devoted to viewing some
of the new and marvellous Developments in
army ordnance have just had the oppor-
tunity Of seeing the various types of trac-
tors adopted as standard equipment for
the land fighters. There are kinds without
number-large and small, for every pos
sible purpose. Most of them have been
devised since the war, completed from
ideas that suggested themselves while the
world conflict was at It's height. They
passed in review in long line and then,
with their funny ambling gaits, proceeded
with the more practical demonstration of
what they would be able to do in the face
of enemy fire.
Tank Was the First idea
On Which All Are Built
1t is not such far cry from the develop
ment of the tank. This unique fighting
machine, which made it's appearance two
years after the world war began, was the
forerunner of the present day equipment
The tank, as the British officer who de.
veloped 1t told me at the time, was the
outgrowth of the ordinary, everyday,
muddy American farm tractor. So that
this homely instrument of cultivation can
only be regarded as the grandfather of
what is now deadly tool of war.
The most remarkable of all the develop.
ment is the tractor artillery which In
cludes the heaviest of the types of mobile
field pieces Set low to the ground, with
belts running around the wheels these
powerful weapons, we'll protected with
armor plate. are able to travel at speeds
around twenty miles an hour. which means
much In the advance Of an army. Some
OF the heaviest OF the guns are assisted by
tractor trucks that go a few feet ahead,
carrying the personnel that Will man them,
at the same time generating electrical
power which is transmitted by cable to the
gun tractor
On ordinary occa sions theae raotors will
travel along roads, but II Is not essential
that they do 30. They are able to negotiate
any Kind OF land, cut across fields, get in
and out OF mud holes and go over country
that is under cultivation. The belts around
the wheels prevent the Neavy loads from
sinking into the ground
II would be impossible 0 atterflpt To do.
scribe the various types of mounts that
have been provided by the .rdnance officers
for the artillery OF to-day. They vary al.
most as much as the types of guns vary
and II is well known that there is a piece
of heavy ordnance for almost every pos.
sibe operation that may be necessary on
the battlefield.
The tractor plan has been applied also
to every auxiliary vehicle that is required
in warfare There are tractors for carry.
ing ammunition, tractors for carrying bag.
gage tractors for carrying men and Of
course various kinds OF tanks
Real Land BattieShfps
Have Been Perfected Now
The heavily armored tanks that are ca.
pable of hauling a score OF men operating
machine guns have been supplemented by