The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-10-21
TRIBUTE To DOBBIN
Memorial To Army<Horses
In Washington
THEIR FAITHFUL WORK
Special Commentator From
Gen. Pershing For Silent
Service During War
Associated Press Dispatch. ].

t~~S~~SNSN~~
Washington, d. G., October 15.-
A bronze memorial tablet to com
memorate the horses and mule
which died during the world war wa
erected in the state war and navy de
partment building here today by tn
American Red Star Animal relief.
The inscription read:
This tablet commentaries
the services and sufferings OF
the .245,135 horses and mules
employed by the American Ex-
peditionary Forces overseas dur
ing the Great World War which
terminated November IL, 1913
and which resulted in the death
of 6S,682 of those animals.
What they suffered Is .Jeyond
words to describe. A fitting tri-
butte to their important services
has been given by the Comman-
der Chief of the American
Expeditionary Forces, General
John ]. Pershing who has writ
ten The army horses and mules
proved of intestimable value IN
prosecuting the war to a~success
full conclusion! They were found IN
all the theaters of preparation
and operation. doing their silent
but faithful work without the
faculty OF hoping for any reward
or compensation"
Created New Department
During 1916 the secretary OF war
of the United States, wrote to Tn
American Humane association, tina
the government would be pleased 7,
have its cooperation in assisting T.
care for the animals in the Unite'
States Army. The association yer,
promptly created a department
known as the American Red Sta
Animal Relief, to do this work. TIL
Red Star is closely affiliated witt
similar European organizations, hav
ing the same name, with headquar
tiers IN Switzerland. The Upfte'
States Secretary of War suggested
that the Red Star might function TO
animals in much the same way tina
the Red Star had done for human
beings. .
Quite promptly letters were sen
out to, the various United state
army posts, where army animal
were being held by the government
A booklet entitled First Aid TO
army Horses" was also printed
These were sent to men in the fed
eral army who handled horses, Of
requests for the same from the me-
or the Commanding Officers. "Firs
Aid" leaflets to the extent of owe
one hundred and fifty thousand cop
les have been distributed for arm
relief. The leaflet was prepared b
an old army veterinarian.
Activities Increased After War
r After war was declared by tn
United States the activities Of tn
Red Star greatly increased. Man
supplies were sent to various arm
posts. When it was necessary t
send veterinary ambulances t
France for the American arm
where they were sadly lacking, Gen
Star should purchase the ambulance
on the other side as every foot c
space on the steamers was needle
to ship men and their supplies fror
this country. Accordingly some six
ty thousand dollars worth of hors
ambulances were ordered in Engian
and sent to the American army i
France. l.
It was deemed desirable that tn
Red Star should have a Tablet pre-
pared to commemorate the greatl los
Of life, as we'll as the suffering of tn
big army of American horses in tn
war. A beautiful and attractive de
sign was prepared. The Unite
States Government very kindly con
scented to receive such Tablet an
have it placed on the War Depart
ment Building in Washington, nea
the main entrance. Today this Tab
let was unveiled and turned over t
the Government.
Since the great war the Red Sta
has found a very useful work in, re
lieving distress and suffering anon
animals On a large scale in thi
country. It had been found that liv
stock, in vast number, were dyin
Unnecessarily. from exposure" an
Starvation" on the Western range;
1t was also found that hundreds {
thousands of small animals were al
lowed to die painful deaths in trap
each year in the United States
Other nee Is for Red Star work hav
teen found and work is being effec
lively and vigorously pushed for tn
relief of unnecessary suffering an
destruction.