The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-10
AIRSHIP A STRONG
FACTOR IN MEXICO
AviatOrs. After Bad start,
Prove Salvation Of Gen.
Pershing as Scouts.
FLY IS MILES AN HOUR
~ GEORGE n. CLEMENTS.


Special Correspondent Of THE Sun.
FIELD HEApoUARrERs UNITED STATES
DETACHMENT. NEAR CoLoNiA DusLAN.
Mexico, April 8 (by motor truck to
Columbus. n. NJ. April s).-The aero
plane has been the salvation Of tho Per-
shing expedition into Mexico. Other
things have been needed. but without
communication an army is as poorly
situated as without food. The wireless
has been undependable since the ex-
petition started. hence the flying ma
chine. out Of date as are those In The
possession Of the army. has been tho
eyes and ears Of the army virtually In
every important matter since Mexico
was entered.
Here comes a fier :" We used to
shout in the earlier days of the cam
paign--lt seems an age since we set
tied down on this dusty plain but we
take the arrival Of the airmen In a more
matter OF fact n nov.
We did not cry out because OF the
novelty of the arrival of a messenger
Of the air. but because the airman was
the bearer of news. no matter which di.
rcction he arrived from. II he came
from the south there was a chance he
would carry tidings which would form
the basis of a despatch to our news
paper; II he flew In from the direction
of Gods country" II might mean he
brought letters from home. In any event
the arrival VAS of Importance 10 the
men marooned in his peaceful camp.
Warfare II R-voIutionised.
The bringing Of the heavier than air
flying machine TO even It's present state
OF perfection has revolutionized many
phases Of warfare. more particularly
In h matter of securing Information
regarding the Of the forces
Of the enemy and In the matter OF keep
ing in touch with your own %headQuar-
ters.
In this campaign. at least no far as
the newspaper correspondents are con-
cerned. the chief interest is the dying
machines Clying tween field headquar-
tcrs and either the extreme from, or
the base AT the border lines in their
ability to carry news. II IL were not
for the fiers not only the newspaper
men but the officers Of the expedition
"oaib hhh bNNit II ~ l'HS W hbAoW via
was transpir!ng along the lines OF COM
munication.
Wireless teleGraphy Is a great thing In
the way Of a distance and time snnih!la-
tor. but there are times when the Herts-
ian waves absolutely refuse to be har-
messed. They are NJ apt as not to quit
IN the middle OF an important despatch.
as they have done on numerous occa-
sions. and leave every one UP in the air
"a "a ,a.hnA mo- fnktgt, nlu, ssyklat,
nigh, have been the basis OF a story. or
~ far Az the officers OF the expedition
we're concerned which might require
quick action on their part TO carry out
an important change OF base.
Quick Work Done.
Nothing like that with a Tying ma
chine. The descendants o. the famous
Darius Green who operated them may
make a 'bobble" once In a while. hut
not often enough to make Il tiresome. and
uheN they are told at Cusihuiriachic for
instance. to go 10 headquarters AT Nuera
Casas Grande with "A handful Of envel-
! opcs filed with orders or news items
10 be wirelesssd OF a~eroplaned on the
states. the orders and the news items
are at their destination two aud a half
hours later. Tina: is going some" but
that kline Of going cannot sl"ays DO de-
pended ,pon. especially wen adverse
winds are blowing, But In the main
tho f'iers vii cover ground In a man
ner To make al! other forms of COM
munication look slow.
From headquarters AZ Nueva Casas
Grandes to Columbus Ia 10 miles as
tho crow ar as an alrship flies. The
airshiis In use on THE expedition cover
| the distance IN two hours and less every
time they attempt il, which means nearly