Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-29

fective substitute for Cavalry has been
found when troops are required to seize
important strategic objectives-such as
brtdgeheads and river lines-before the
main forces arrive. The mounted arm
is indispensable also for operating in
rugged regions where wheeled transport
cannot be employed"
why wasn't it done long ago?" asks
the New York Evening Post, expressing
the hope that zone Of the Cavalry regi-
mentS, even If rearmed, never has to
charge the tanks, armor, machine guns
and artillery Of mechanical regi.
ment."
The Rockford Morning Star COM
ments: THE Army must yield its tradi-
lions to a new kind of world, just as
surely as the rest Of the world has
yielded up traditions. The amazing
thing Is that Army tradition has kept
the horse as long as it has in the face
OF the obvious fact that motors are
quicker, less likely to damage and
capable Of carrying more firing power
and that the use of the airplane has
practically wiped out the service Of
the Cavalry for reconnaissance
Methods of warfare" declares the
Charleston CIV. Va) Daily Mail,
change with invention and progress.
The old Grecian phalanx, so potent
under Philip of Macedon and Alexan-
der, went down before the Roman
legions, while the armament of the in
Vincible legions would avail naught
against the modern rifle and artillery.
Hannibal's elephants. once. so effective,
were discounted by the tactics of Scipio.
The chariotS of the ancient Egyptians
and ASsyrianS are only broken relics
in museums and scarce at that. The
German needle gun in 1870 simply
massacred the French cavalry. What
the next war will see in the way Of
new inventions retiring the OLD is
matter of speculation. Mankind has
ever been fertile in the discovery and
application of new and more terrible
weapons of destruction, while it has
been as industrious, if not as efficient,
in devising protective measures"
+ X 4
cit is too bad that mankind cannot
be as fortunate IS the horse and be
free for all time from the call, of the
bugle and the horror of war;" thinks
the Albany Evening News, while the
Providence journal sees man becoming
incongruous in warfare, which appears
to be approaching the fantastic state
wherein mechanisms will perform every
function but the thinking" The Port
Huron Times Herald suggests that,
with all the romance taken out Of the
business of fighting, it may be that
men will decide they can find some
better way of settling their differences"
"A mechanical army in a machine
age will retain the horse" AYERS the
Jersey City Journal, quoting Washing
ton authorities, and concluding: I'VE
all hope there will never be another
war. But If there should be there Is.
no proof 1t would be fought on fiat
plains. It might be waged In such
terrain as would again bring horses, and
men trained to handle them, into need
And-war or no war--n we are going
to have an Army, let's have Cavalry.
The Army establishment costs us tax
payers so much we might as well get
thrill out of it." The Savannah Morn
ing News feels that "the chances are
that q lot of yet-to-be-written history
will tell Of the feats of cavalrymen yet
unborn" The Cincinnati Times-Star
advises that perhaps it is little too
early, even In the machine-run age, to
chant a dirge over the horse" Point
ing out that it Is one regiment which Is
to be changed ito a force employing
tanks and cross-country motor cars" the
Allentown Morning Call states that ut
Is not conceded that this means the
gradual elimination OF all mounted
men,"
1.-THE value Of Cavalry" advises the
Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, "has
been controversial topic for genera
tions. Yet in spite of all that has been
said in detraction, the chiefs of the
American Army, who know best the
trehd Of modern warfare and its
weapons, adjudge the horse worthy Of
his keep and the cavalryman, both for
his utility and his traditional fighting
spirit, too potent In the military plan
tn be droDDed from the tables of organ.
ization."