The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-07-09
now LONDON ACTS
DURING AN AIR RAID
All London Perches on the
Skyline to Watch Muir
der Of InnOcents.
BY X. W. PAYNE.
(London Correspondent of The West


Virgintan.)
LONDON, July 9. = The Germans
may try to wipe out London from the
air, this summer, by an endless series
of furious aeroplane attacks, say many
observers here.
Utterly foolish as the attempt would
be, these observers claim air raids on
London are still in their infancy both
as to extent and ferocity. They as
sert the Kaiser might quite logically
attempt &C keep hundreds Of planes
in operation against the world metrop-
oils, actually expecting to accomplish
thereby some military purpose
1t is held the Germans, in an effort
to overcome British air supremacy in
France, will persist in bombing English
women and children, thus hoping
some of the British air fighters may
be forced to protect home towns and
give up service at the front.
Commentators suggest America can
play here role of unparalleled utility
by Fastening to bring to her allies
still greater preponderance Of aerial
power.
In fact, it is suggested, the Germans
in forcing the fight in the skies are
actually ensuring their own more
speedy downfall, through an allied air
navy SO powerful as to dominate COM
pletely the whole future course Of the
war.
Meanwhile Londoners continue to
take the Kaiser's doses Of aeroplane
frightfulness with curiosity and in
creased determination to fight until
frightfulness is crushed in Germany.
Here is a typical experience Of an
air raid:
Over the click of typewriters in the
office we note a succession Of dull
thuds, like the distant banging Of doors.
Then it sounds as though somebody
was dropping heavy boxes in room
down the hall. Suddenly crash and
SILVER near at hand makes everybody
stop work,
Guess it's raid" says the stenog-
rapher, unmoved.
Out in the corridors and stairways
are two leisurely moving currents of
people. Some are going downstairs to
the cellars; more are climbing up to
the roofs. All are joking and laugh
ing; there is no sign of undue excite.
ment; men are continuing to talk bust
ness as they go!
On the roof. the view is extraordi-
nary. London's whole skyline Is alive
with humanity. Office boys are perch
ed up on the chimneys. Girls are clus.
tered on all flat spaces, gazing up into
the dazzling sky. From the spirit of
the sightseers you'd think some thrill.
ing aerial circus was being staged.
All the time there echoes the crash
of bombs and the sound of ant1.aircraft
guns. Now and again for few sec
onds aeroplanes, glistening like silver
in the sun, are visible maneuverIng in
the clouds. They disappear. The bomb
roar ceases. The guns are silent. The
show is over.
The sightseers on the roofs 90 back
to work. They know that women and
babies have been killed. They feel a
burning hate for the men responsible.
But, as innocent spectators themselves
they cannot help hoping that II there
is another raid they'll have better
view of the aerial performance. It is
so tremendously thrilling and novel.
The horror Of the babies with arms
and legs blown off, school children
crushed under falling timbers-these
things they don't know Of until next
day, unless they were right near the
spot where the bombs fell. But be.
cause Of these things their resolves
grows more grim than ever that there
can be no peace with the Hohenzol.
lerns: