The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-01-13
HORSES IN AIR
CORPS CAUSE
HEATED WORDS
And Polo Ponies Wrapped
Up in Red Tape Bring
More Dispute.
BY MARSHALL M'NEIL
United Press STAFF Correspondent

WASHINGTON Jan. 13-Horses
in the air corps, mules pulling
blackboard and 900 polo ponies got
mixed up in the hearing on the
army appropriation bill.
If you were chief Of cavalry and
you wanted a thousand polo ponies,
how would you go about getting
them?
Representative Ross Collins
Dem, Miss put this question to
General Douglas Macarthur, chief
Of staff, when that handsome SOL
der was before the subcommittee
Of which the Mississippian is chair
man.
General Macarthur told him the
applicant for 1000 polo ponies
would have to write letter, which
would be referred to the adiutant-
general, to the general staff, to
CA and G-3, and finally it would
come to the secretary Of war. to the
budget bureau. back to the war de-
partment, perhaps, and then on to
congress.
Not that it would ever get that
far, for congress now is intent on
economies, and Collins demonstrate
ed that some of the economies
might have to come out of the
mounted forces.
Horses in the Air Corps
This just was one interlude in
the hearings. There were others
Major-Genera John l.. Dewitt,
the quartermaster- general, was be-
ing asked about horses, and to illus
trate the point Representative Col
Inns was attempting to make he was
questioning Dewitt:
Collins-They have horses in the
air corps?
General DeWitt-Yes. sir.
COllins-Do they take them up
with them when they go up in the
planes?
General DeWitt-No. But for
purposes of exercise they are en-
titled to a horse to ride.
General Rides Blackboard
Later, with General Dewitt still
on the stand, this colloquy took
place:
General Dewitt know of two
cases where one corps commander
bought his own car, and another
CORPS commander is using a buck
board to go to his office
Collins-A blackboard?
Here it was explained that a
blackboard meant two mules and a
little wagon and Representative
Collins asked Where is that?"
General DeWitt-At San Antonio,
Tex.
Collins-What is he trying to do;
get his picture in the moving
pictures?
General DeWitt--No; he las got
to get to his Office, either by walk
ing or riding, and he can not ride
i'll an automobile.
Collins-I go to my office in a
car. Why can't he go in his own
car, Just as I go in mine?
Trying to Show Off?
General Dewitt do not know
that he has one.
Collins-Will you find out the
amount of his pay and allowances
and put it in the record?
General DeWitt-He is major
general,
Collins-That is between $4,000
and $4,000 a year, is it not?
General DeWitt-Yes. L have
not actually seen it, but L was told
of this case. He lives quite dis
lance from his Office, and that is
the way he gets there.
CollinS-What is he trying to do;
Just show off?
General DeWitt-Oh, no, sir.
That is the only transportation he
can use.
Collins-Other people that are
making $4,000 are able to buy car.
Two Mules Have Died
Then there was the matter of
trumpets. Representative Collins
discovered that the plan was to buy
2,147 trumpets.
What are you trying to do he
asked give every enlisted man a
trumpet"
General Dewitt replied: mo, sir"
The .armys mule population came
up:
Captain Cronwell-On Oct. 81
there were 2.O45 horses and mules.
Collins-How many mules were
there. one or two?
Captain Cronwell-There were
eleven.
Collins-There used to be thir-
teen, did there not?
Captain Cronwell-Two have died
of old age