Show mechanized warfare rolls on wheels but you cant beat horses in a pinch europe again clamors for U S cavalry mounts mules work horses by LELAND PRENTICE released by western newspaper union I ASHINGTON european dwar V war demands are already keeping american horse traders up nights the army mule and cavalry horse have come into their own again despite a lot of talk about mechanized armies and the united states may once more become the source of supply for france franice Fra jice britain and other nations just as it was during early days of the world war but while foreign buyers are corring cou ring farms and ranches of the west for war horses and pack mules there are at least two elements working against them first there are only about half as many horses to choose from as in 1914 18 second ond the american humane society cl ety hopes to shut off even that supply A few weeks ago it asked president Mo roosevelt sevelt in the name of humanity to include animals in the list of supplies that may not be supplied to belligerents recall world war rush old timers on the western ranges recall how european buyers swarmed through the mountains 25 years ago paying high prices for horses and mules to replace those which had been shot gassed or worn out on the battlefield and on shell pocked cocked roads buyers would find only horses and mules in the united states against horses in 1915 and mules in 1910 this 50 per cent decline is attributed to mechanization of the farm a movement in which tractors and trucks are cultivating tiva ting hauling and plowing where horses and mules formerly supplied the motive power 5 A k Y tv A t T w S M N oil FOR A MULES LIFE these aged army mules are retired to green pastures after their service service da days y s are over they used to be shot in keeping keepin ng a law lato providing such a fate for senescent mules unless they have a distinguished service record more important the type ot of animal has changed there are plenty of heavy draft horses nowadays but these are too slow and eat t too oo 00 much for army use the buye buyers rs would find a fairly good supply of medium sized draft horses suitable for pulling guns and wagons but there are only animals in the entire nation suitable for the most important wartime use cavalry and most of these riding horses are too old or too young too light or too unsound for the heavy tasks of waging war horse cavalry regiments are still an important unit of the average army despite mechanization france has 42 such regiments against only five regiments of mechanized cavalry germany has 17 horse cavalry regiments and england has only five canada oddly enough has only two such regiments while italy maintains 12 japan which has nc mechanized cavalry maintains 25 mounted regiments the late polish cavalry counted on to raid german troops in the recent eastern war had the autumn rains arrived on time was the worlds finest russia big in everything has no na less than 90 horse cavalry regiments ready to take the fjeld |