South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-04-26
H-DRkISH


purposes are Of extreme power and
speed. capable of flying at $4,000
feet without effort There the flyers
have heavier. larger. more powerful
planes. armOred for protection
against rifle FIRE. Some Of them even
mount light machine or rapid fire
guns. Bomb and devices for drop
ping them are part Of the regular
equipment. Pilot. observer. aero
nautic instruments and supply OF
fuel for IA hours are carried as mat
tiers Of course.
In the United States there is not
one armored aeroplane. There is
not one plane that ca ncarry a ma
chine or rapid fire gun. There is
not one plane equipped with a bomb
dropping device. There is not one
bomb for the planes TO drop. and
there are not more than two ma
chimes that could carry bombs and
devices to drop them If such equip
ment were available. Even these
two machines would have to go
without observers. if equipped for
bomb work. in order 10 get off the
ground The pilot would have to
handle his machine with one hand
10 operate the bombs.
Equipment of the American plane,
for flying in Mexico. has been cut
10 the bone. Gasoline supply is
limited to six hours. Observers are
carried on only two machines and
then when II is a matter Of necessity.
1t speaks worlds for the United
States army flyers that they have
been able 10 do as well as they have.
What is known to flyers technically
as rough air" is common over the
peaks and canyons of the Mexican
mountains pockets" where a par
tial vacuum drops plane and flyer
hundreds of feet without warning,
seem 10 hOneycOmb every plateau.
Gasoline of the grade demanded for
the epicurean aerial motors is scarce
and water is "A luxury. over much
OF the country, that prohibits its use
for anything but engine and human
consumption.
Risk Lives.
Facin~ these conditions. the avia-
tors have taken their lives in their
hands on every fight. Captains
BENJAMIN u. Foulois and Townsend
+. DOdd. on three different occasions
have faced death by being forced to
land i'm hostile country once,
forced 90 the ground Just outside the
city OF Chihuahua. native poems all
but stoned them % death before the
arrival of troop OF United States
cavalry and a company Of Carrauza
soldiers from the garrison cleared
"a path OF safety for them.
Lieut.. Robert IT. Willis on the
first flight south from Columbus had
TO aIight, because OF the short sup
ply of gasoline in a desert 35 miles
away from an American camp He
made his way 10 safety. but his
plane. discovered by Poems. was re-
duced 10 splinters and had TO be
burned
Lieut. Thomas :. Bowen. i'm an in
sufficiently powered plane. Slid out
+ OF a spiral at TaSas Grandes and
was 50 seriously injured that he is
stll ON hospital leave
Lieut. Edgar s Correu. lost i'm the
desert az The same time Willis had
his mishap escaped only after two
days OF wandering I'm the sands and
burning sun that make as thrilling
a chapter as any story in a nickel
thriller.
f Corren. with Dieut. Herbert A.
f Dargue. has since made a number
~ flights IN one Of the higher power
planes and has no difficulty at all.
Violate Rule.
The men who do the actual flying
I have repeatedly violated the iron
clad rule which prohibits army Of
fcers talking for publication OF con
diuous under which they DO their
work OF protecting the nation. Sew
eral Of them have been threatened
with court martial for their talking.
But one or two have deliberately
tried 10 force the matter 10 an is
sue.
III they court martial me. or
bring me TO trial. viii have a
chance TO bring out all the rotten
manipulation OF our section" said
one Young lieutenant. "It may cost
me my commission but IL shows
things up and forces some sort OF
hetterment OF conditions Cor the
/ other boys I viii go into civil life.
practically in disgrace. full Of the
I belief that 7 have performed a fun
er and bigger duty than l would