Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-18

the LOADS oil the Iect OF the SOioicsS
and get the men quickly and in prime
condition. TO the scene of combat. is
being produced by the Army, and to-
dav there is in the field its first de-
velopment of such a force. There is
| in camp at the fair grounds at Upper
Marlboro, Md a gigantic collection of
| machinery. all propelled by internal
| combustion engines, which yesterday
made its first long run as test, and
| tonight makes the return roll over the
! 42-milc route from Upper Marlboro t.
! Fort Leonard Wood. Md. formerly
Camp Meade
| In the long eight-mile motor caravan,
moving slowly over the roads were HOO
men, there not only to operate the
! transportation equipment, and to keep
! it in condition, but to man the tanks.
reconnaissance cars. guns and scores
! of other vehicles included in the mech
anized force, 1t is an experimental
force on which the Army has been
, working slowly since the war, and with
successful effect. as indicated by the
movement yesterday, 1t was test.
and by no means the completed ar
ticle.
Much Equipment Is Old.
1t was merely a collection for the
most part of war time vehicles. motor
trucks and engines built and delivered
for war use. and much Of it more than
IL years. old. Its ultimate success and
effectiveness depends largely on the
generosity of Congress in allowing ap-
preparations for development, as have
been allowed in the development of the
Air Service This development mast be
along the lines of special equipment
in the way of tanks. bodies, GLASSES,
etc. those things which are not used
in the ordinary trade. Officers admit
that the engines are available and they
can be quickly obtained In an emer-
gercv, but that the experimentation
must be with the equipment which the
engines are expected to propell.
1t took approximately one hour and
forty minutes for the convoy to pass
the reviewing Point yesterday, where
Secretary Of War Davis and Maj. Gen.
Summerall chief of the General Stan,
reviewed It, Further development will
permit of better time. for the longest
period was required by The third Sec
ton of the convoy made up of the We
hicles, which carried the heavy tanks,
field artillery and anti-aircraft guns.
This CONTINENT is so heavy. 1t was
pointed out, that the heavy drag on
the truck engines resulted in consump-
ton of the oil in the crankcases. and
il was necessary TO stop to refill them.
The hills in the vicinity of Marlboro
caused little delay and some minor
repairs had to be made in the way OF
broken fan belts, but at no time was
there any serious breakdown. When
the third section reached the first OF
the two bridges outside of Marlboro
the tanks we're unloaded and sent into
the camp grounds under their own
motive power. Since the war and In
the course of experimentation with the
mechanical force new type OF track
for the tanks has been developed. 1t Is
designed to lay the cleats down easily.
thus causing practically no damage to
hard concrete roads.
Guide Wheels Extended.
In the old tracks the cleats were
thrown hard on the pavement directly
under the load, but the new tracks are
| designed to make the turn little dis
lance ahead of the load and to come
down at an angle. This has been done
/ by extending the front guide wheels.
| Each section carried Its rolling chow
gun in which the meals for the troops
| were being cooked. and the troops were
being fed a very few minutes after the
| wheels of this mobile force came to a
/ halt within the camp. A new develop
ment in this line was IN the column
| Yesterday. 1t is q truck completely
| fitted out with a kitchen. 1t has a
/ large ice box behind the front seat,
/ where the perishable stores may be
/ kent. and i'm the rear is large stove,
| fired by OIL There is . large space
! between the ice box and the stove.
where the cooks may prepare the 1000
| while on the march, with top Tor pro-
lection. The old chow guns are merely
! traiIers hooked on to trucks, which
makes it difficult for the cooks properly
/ to watch the food while 1t Is being
cooked on the march.
| Although there were / 100 men in the
| train. not a man walked. Military po-
| lice. on motor cycles. kept constantly
running the column to see that the We
hicles kept hard to the right OF the
road and maintained distance be-
tween each Of SO yards. With this dis
lance there was very little delay caused
to other trafic on the road traVehns
in the same direction. as the space pro-
vidsd made 1t possible for other cars 10
run in, when meeting Vehicies conlnIs
in the opposite direction. In the move
ment the Army was assisted by large
detail of Maryland State ponce
Although repair trucks we're IN the
line. they had very little to DO. so wei
was this old equipment primed for the
march. The principal work was oone
by the greasing and oiling trucks aise
in the column
The chassis of many light, popular
cars. in the train, were so built that u
was hard TO detect the KIND OF car
Many of them had been fitted with siz
wheels, four-wheel rear drive, SO as e
provide better Rotation for movement
across rough terrain. A NUMBER o.
these light cars had been designed WIZ
cargo bodies. with seat On the side ioi
/ the transportation Of 10 infantrymen
They are for quickly moving the In,
! fantry TO the point Of contact to hoio
/ the ground, after the tanks had done
!. their work, TO be followed by the neavS
field and anti-aircratt guns, cTaTn oS
: the tractors
Basic Principles Laid Down.
The War Department has laid doNf
the following basic principles for TIM
I ii AA al EnYi