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 ASHINGTON european washington 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 britain and other nations just as it was during early days of the world war but while foreign buyers are scouring 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 the american humane society hopes to shut off even that supply A few weeks ago it asked president roosevelt in the name of humanity to include animals in the list of supplies that may not be supplied to belligerents but lifting of the arms embargo would preclude any such possibility 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 there were plenty of animals available then but things have changed 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 more important the type ot of animal has changed there are plenty of heavy draft horses nowadays but these are too slow and eat too much tor for army use the buyers 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 imbor 3 A V PV F 1 e 1 how 1 1 W 0 1 MM 1 7 OH FOR A MULES LIM LIFE these aged army mules are retired to green pastures after their service service days are over they used to be shot in keeping with a law providing such a late fate for senescent mules unless they have a distinguished service record tant 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 principally because she fears she would be unable to obtain a continuous supply of animals canada oddly enough has only two such regiments while italy maintains 12 japan which has no mechanized cavalry main maintains taing 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 n 0 less than 90 horse cavalry regiments with more than animals and men exports up in 1914 during the world war american horse exports jumped from in the year ending june 30 1914 to in the following year of 0 this latter number F france rance took head england bought 83 canada italy 2063 scotland As war continued the demand became greater private ranch stock and riding horses went under the hammer and in the year ending june 30 1916 exports reached the peak of head the following year the united states shipped head of mules but after that our own army took all surpluses by 1919 the trade tobogganed toboggan ed until only horses and mules were shipped the recent polish war in which the vanquished army depended so much on its cavalry did not disprove the value of animals in combat against mechanized forces for had the conflict lasted longer inclement weather would undoubtedly nave have placed heavy tanks and troop trucks at a disadvantage horses can still go where mechanized equipment must stay behind but if the war on the western front settles down into trench combat as it did after early phases of the world war had passed animal casualties would be comparatively light in a war of movement however military experts are still confident the cavalryman would play an important rols role |