New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-09-28
The Future of Destructive Air Raids

There is reason to believe that the more
thoughtful part of the German people are
beginning to doubt whether the results
achieved by air raids on England are i'm
portant enough to justify the energy ex
pended on them. Captain Persius, who al
one time was an enthusiastic believer II
the possibility of inflicting vast damage IN
this way, is writing more soberly to-day
and even admitting that at would be pre-
mature to express any decided hope as to
the future success of the airships or to say
whether they can have any decisive influ-
ence on the conduct of the war" 1t does
not follow, however, that the Germans have
as vet the least intention of abandoning this
method of warfare. Mr.. Karl Won Vie
gand, who is generally well informed of of
fetal intentions in Berlin, tells 1.-The
World" that the activity in airship yards
is almost feverish" and the attacks will
"even be intensified" That is not at all
unlikely.
In all probability an attempt will be
made before long to do something to relieve
the depression that must have followed the
loss Of three new ships in two raids. A
little lying about the damage done on
those occasions may go long way, but
the public by this time must be more or
less skeptical of the official reports of air
raids. 1t may be true as Mr.. Won Wiegand
alleges, that the loss of two Zeppelins in
the latest attack on London is taken as
matter Of course" but such sacrifices can
not continue to be made indefinitely. Ger
many has possibly two score of Zeppelins
in commission, and even supposing them all
fit for service of this sort, which is ex-
tremely unlikely, it is clear that losses at
the present rate would soon put stop to
her activities in the air. Captain Persius
has limited at this possibility, saying: 1--WE
must wait to see what improvements the
enemy will make in combating our at
tacks."
One thing now generally recognized isl
that airmen engaged in such enterprises
dare not fly low. The land batteries in
places of military Importance are so nu-
rerous and so well placed that it is essen
tial to conduct all attacks from a height
ut which it is absolutely impossible to OBJ
serve the results. This must be obvious
to any one, and it is probably for this rea-
son that Captain Persius is at so much
pains to explain to his readers the indirect
of ralds-the constant anX-
ETY. of the populace, the necessity Of main
aiming large forces in England to man
he numberless defence stations, the enor-
nous equipment required in the way Of
,uns, searchlights, airplanes, etc, to say
nothing of the disturbances and delays
.aused whenever raid is actually In
progress.
Such difficulties are undoubtedly con-
but, on the other side, we must
rot forget the difficulties Germany has to
,ncounter in maintaining this state of
hings. The building of airships and the
raining of crews must demand a great
leal of time and thought and energy which
night be conceivably expended to better
advantage in other ways. According to
Mr.. Won Wiegand, "the number of men and
women employed in airship construction
low runs into thousands" Will the results
Justify this feverish activity? That they
nave not done so as yet is certain