Evening star., 1935-09-15
SwfMove-
ment ofMfan-
Is Accom-
pAshed BY the
Lighter and
Faster Trucks,
EasingNagg-
ct Aut0s and
MotorCychs.
Bv WHliam S. Odlin.

~ ECENTLY it was discovered in
Berlin that one Of the --latest
II developments in Adolph Hit
Il Y ler's surprise military power is
creation of means of moving his
armies at hitherto unheard-of speeds.
Eighty miles an hour lover almost
anything save woods" was mentioned
as the goal already in sight, achieved
through small motor vehicles, each
carrying only two soldiers and capable
of an unprecedented fexibility of
movement and speed.
The idea, possibly, was terminated
by recollections of the historic taxi
cab army Of Paris" which in the
early days Of the World War helped
halt the onrushing German hordes at
the Marne and averted the quick cap
ture of the French capital contem-
plated in the Kaiser's war plan.
That future conflicts will be titanic
campaigns of movement in which
speed will play a tremendous role
is universally accepted and the United
States military chieftainS, fully aware
of this, are not ignoring the fact nor
failing to make preparations. Inquiry
at the War Department, however, dis
closes experimentation along the pres
ent reported German lines of two-man
high-speed cars is not part Of the
present program of the Army.
This does not mean that its posi-
bilities have not been explored, but
1t is the Army's conviction that the
problem Of the swift movement Of
Infantry is to be solved by lighter
and faster trucks and not by midget
automobiles or motor cycles. The
5-ton truck, carrying about 80 men,
which numbered through the World
War picture rapidly is being replaced
by 3-ton, and even ton-and-a-half
vehicles, carrying a dozen or eighteen
men. Mobility has been at least
doubled, for trucks of today have
almost the speed of modern passenger
automobiles. The item Of expense also
is involved, for it is pointed out that
great fleets of small cars would be
more costly in acquisition, upkeep and
operation than q far smaller number
of trucks with virtually the same
mobility. Similarly, four -wheel-drive
motor vehicles are replacing the ira
ditional mule-drawn escort wagon,
upon which troops depend for sup
plies of all kinds.
The field trains of all Infantry
regiments have been motorized and
the 1st Division and two regiments
Of the I'd have been provided with
experimental combat trains. The seth
Infantry, based at Fort Meade, Nd.
Is a provisional tank regiment, con-
sisting of approximately six light tank
companies. Eventually 1t will have
l44 of these newest weapons.
THE Artillery also is slowly but sure
- footedly going motor. Wheels Of
the Army cannon are now pneumatic
tired and ball-bearinged, in place of
the familiar great wagon wheels
which were found to burn out axles
at the high speeds at which Artillery
trucks now whisk the guns about the
landscape. The result Is that Uncle
Sans heavy Artillery now Is COM
pletely motorized and the light Ar
tilery Is very largely converted to
gasoline. The former now has sixteen
l55-mm. howitzer batteries, one 155-
nm. gun battery and one 240-mm.
howitzer battery, all motor-drawn.
The light Artillery consists Of 80 horse
drawn batteries, IL truck drawn and
5 pack batteries, all equipped with
75-mm. guns. This progress Is spread
ing even to the National Guard.
All of the foregoing comes under
the head of motorization, which, ac-
cording to the Army definition, Is
creation of units having assigned
to them sufficient motor vehicles to
meet its transportation and traction
requirements" Far more impressive
and romantic, however, Is the Army's
program Of mechanization, which is