The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-02-08
SAYS England Would Not Hesitate to Use Flying
Machines If She Had Them, to Bombard
Cities and Create Reign Of Terror.
AERIAL WARFARE HAS CONE TO STAY
Aged Inventor Thinks That Airships Will Tend
to Change the Aspects Of War and Per-
haps Make War Less Likely.

| largely Will JSuU " CuouSo Iuc loCO
| and the aspect Of war, perhaps there
fore in the future, making war less
likely. ! do not believe that the ma
! tions ever will ratify a convention
eliminating aircraft. Whether there
ever will be great battles In the air,
like those that have taken place on
the sea, can only be answered by the
distant future. Personally l. am not
J inclined to think SO. But who knows;
this is an age OF progress"
THE reports received here tell of
the killing Of the non-combatants. Is
there any way that this can be pre-
yented?" l asked. The veteran inven-
ute. 1t was plain that the problem
mind. At last he spoke and this time
it was to give an explanation Of the
greatest dificulty the navigator OF
the air encounters.
"You see we cannot always see an
object from a great height. Is that
not true also OF artillery and especial
" mortars? Don't shells often drop IN
undefended or non-combatant parts of
towns and cities? How many non-com-
batants have been killed in this war
by Zeppelins as compared with other
engines Of warfare? How can you teis
for instance exactly where the shells
from mortars or other artillery will
strike? For instance the shell from
the new Krupp guns have reported
range of forty-two kilometers.
1.-The purpose OF the Zeppelins as
war craft Is not against non-combat-
ants, but against military forces, de-
Tended towns and cities, ships, arsen-
ais and docks. The crews of the Zep-
pelins are exposed to greater dangers,
but they are just as humane as the
other branches of service. They have
no intention to kill women and chill
dren that the officers and gunners Of
the artillery so far as lies in their
power to avoid.
There Ia proof of this. the best
proof possible It is to be found in
the unexploded bombs found in the
English towns. When the Zeppelins
are discovered and come under the
heavy fire Of the enemy it may be
vital to ascend quickly. So ii may be
necessary to throw off bombs that are
used as ballast. Then, whenever 1t
il possible SO to do, the explosive
contacts are disconnected so that the
bombs, falling where it Is feared there
are non-combatants will not explode.
THAT is probably what occurred in
these English towns where they say
unexploded bombs were discovered"
From the standpoint of this latest
factor in modern warfare?' I asked,
"what in your opinion should define
city, town or position that would
make it subject to attack from the
air?"
The count stroked his chin and sat
for moment seemingly lost in
thought. Then he began:
.The rule Is similar to land war
fare. Il is based on two fundamental
unwritten laws-the law Of humanity
that forbids the killing Of non-combat-
ants. whenever avoidable and the law
or necessity. Or military exigency.
"A CITY or town occupied by mill
tary forces, or defended only by
trenches. ia subject to attack unless
surrendered or evacuated. That such
places often are attacked and badly
shot to pieces. you've probably had oc-
casion to see for yourself at botn
fronts in this war i
"Therefore, it seems to be rational
that a city or town having military
forces that fire upon aircraft or
mounts guns for that purpose, is SUB
iect to aerial attack the same as If
attacking force of infantry or artil-
1ery.''
as it planned to attack London?"
asked
"That is a question for the admir-
alty and the general. staff to decide.
The count declined to discuss now
large the Zeppelin fleet now is, or how
fast he Is building these craft. he
would not intimate whether any new
improvements have been maGe when
asked whether the latest type OF dirlg-
CONTINUED on page 70 !