Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-05-23
OUR AVIATORS
ARE NEGLECTED
American Youths, Fighting Our
Battles in France, Receive
Only Moral Support
From Washington
By HENRI BAZIN
Recipient of the Crolx do Guorrc, member Of tho
SoCioto dc Gems dcs I.cttrCs and spcC\
correspondent Of tho EVENING
lTUITR in France.

PARIS, April "a.
ON THE front from the sea to Alsace
Ony tho flags Of Belgium, France, Eng
land, France Portugal, Russia and France,
in tho exact order named. At a point
which I must not name since tho 6th Of
April the Stars and Stripes are added.
Strictly speaking, It IS behind the front,
for it flies over an aviation camp, that of
the Lafayette Escadrille, now authoritative
ly displaying the red, white and blue of our
land that has entered the cause of clvilza-
ton.
In its three distinguished colors this flag
of FREQ America is now painted on each
aeroplane allotted to tho squadron. And be-
side II, in heroic size, is the painted head Of
an American Indian, with all his wair ochre
and feathers The boys that man these
planes, all Of tho fighting kind, are Ameri-
can boys hailinE from all over the United
States. They have been fighting in the
air under French ColorS, in French ma
chimes, for France and French ideals. They
arc still fighting, since tho ideals of the
United States and France are now one in
action where they were before but unison
of thought. But there is nothing American
about these planes save tho boys that pilot
them and tho flag they fly under. The ban
ner that flies before their hangers and the
painted flags upon their planes are the full
alpha and omega of support they are get
they have but support of n purely moral
character, that does not buy even a de-
ieuner when they are en- permission. for
their pay IS In French money paid by the
French Government. They burn French pc
troll, and If they are wounded they are cared
for in French hospitals. They wear French
uniforms with n tiny Stars and Stripes
pinned to the blouses I might comment
upon this. won't I'll let it comment for
itself
One Killed Every Five and Half Days
Since the American flag has flown from
these planes an American aviator has been
killed on a straight average every five and
a half days. At that rate It won't take
long to wipe them out The reason is that
Just as soon as an American machine takes
the air anywhere from four to eight Boches'
machines go after It. That Indian head is
like a red rag TO a bull TO them. The Boche
has never been more earnestly anxious TO
down a plane than he has since he has
looked upon the Stars and Stripes and the
Indian upon them.
He has lost out on general average, be-
cause, with the help of French. and EnglI 1
planes, quite some Kulturites have bittsn
the dust with an American plane in the
fight. But he has, Just the same, killed
four young men IN twenty-one days And
he's going to kill more of these brave boys
who with bowels and heart are in the game
for all the United States now stands for.
and with nothing in return but the knowl-
edge of Gods work well done plus the
| formal authority Of the United States War
| Department Let us all hand them laurel
| wreaths and then get busy and do some-
thing tangible, something governmental
something real for them. For they are the
advance guard protecting all the United
| States stands for, the cause the United
| States has espoused in a finish fight with the
/ evil of all time
| Since the formal declaration of war b1,
| Congress we have done a lot OF flag way-
| ing. Flag waving is all right-at the
start It's time TO get busy and do some
thing else. It's time these flying boys were
| backed up with something more than moral
| support. It's time men were sent to fight
men 10 work. $4,000 of them at least All
| skilled mechanics, most urgent thing
! France sorely needs. It's time to send rnuni.
| tions, wheat, foodstuffs raw materials. sen,i-
raw materials, and more, moro, mora. Of
them. It's time the splendid AMERICAN
| coastwise feet were on the way. loadsd
TO the gunwales with the sinews OF war. It's
| time now.
| The Boche is on the decline, but ha ,s
not yet beaten. II he had not rniscaIc,,-
lated his own strength, II he had waited
| eighteen months longer before beginning
i his work OF deyiltry Ia August iaIa
nothing IN the world would have stopped
| him Just nothing 49,
H cvetreached ana loaos--lossr IA,