davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
La Junta tribune., 1917-06-21
SOUNDS ToCsIN OF WAR
CONTINUED from FRS, Page,


man people had become imbued with
faith in these German ideals
But the war has materially en-
larged our knowledge OF the aims
Of the German government and the
beliefs OF the German people.
We know now that the German
people are the most thoroughly dis
ciplined OF the peoples OF the earth /:
that while there are socialists and
democrats by name In Germany.
the whole people are believers In
the efficiency OF Imperialism and in
the inefficiency OF democracies. We
know now that the whole people are
enamored OF world dominion. and
that this virus has affected both ma
tional and individual moral stand
ards As proof OF this yitiation OF
moral standards, we saw the Ger
man government violating the sane
tity OF a treaty and making war
on people whom that treaty
pledged II to protect: We saw that
government commanding murder up
on the high seas, and the officers OF
It's navy carrying out it's commands: :
We saw German ambassador plan
ming the destruction Of the property
and lives OF a friendly people. and
plotting against the peace and safe
~ OF the nation to which he was
accredited
We know now that Germany's
preparations for war were on a scale
much greater than the other nations
had even suspected, and that the
purpose OF these preparations was
the conquest OF the world. We know
now that the real cause of the war
was not the assassination OF the Aus
trian Crown Prince. but the desire
for world domination that obsessed
the Kaiser and his people.
We know nov that II the plans of
the German War Council had not
miscarried. the Kaiser would
have achieved his ambition. Had not
that power which erring men call
chance" interyened. the democracies
OF the world. ours included. would
now be fighting for existence. Had
Belgium, the brave little nation. per-
mitted the Germans to cross her ter
ritory, without opposition. the Ger
mans would have captured Parls,
would have swept on to the channel.
and would have invaded England.
With the captured British navy Ger
many would have dominated the
world. with consequences only TO be
conjectured. Even after the delay
caused by the brave Belgians. had
the armies OF France not promptly
rallied, or had England failed to stem
the advance TO the channel. or had
the Russian mobilization been as
slow as the German government an
ticipated. we know nov that the Ger
man plans would have been accom-
plished
We know now that the German
government planned 10 collect the
cost OF this great undertaking from
the United States. and that II estl-
mated the required amount at thir
~ billion dollars
our duty is very clear We are
La Junta tribune., 1917-06-21

tion to the American people, said
We mus, realize to the full how
great the task is and how many
things. how many kinds and elements
OF capacity and service and self.
sacrifice 1t involves 80 The supreme
test of the nation has come. We
must all speak, act and serve to.
gether."
There is no doubt that the Gov
ernment OF the United States is full.
ly alive to the necessities OF the sit.
uation. Congress is engaged in a
tremendous task of legislation. Very
grave issues are involved. and mat.
ters are being considered whose de-
termination may bring far reaching
consequences. The final form OF
this legislation may no, suit you or
me. but II 1t facilitates preparation
for effective warfare. that does not
matter.
La Junta tribune., 1917-06-21

our duty is very clear. We are
the greatest and wealthiest democ-
rncy In the world In the battle be.
tween autocracy and democracy. We
have more at stake than any other
nation We have rightfully consti-
tuted ourselves the defender OF the
liberties OF the smaller and weaker
democracies OF this continent. We
are allied with the democracfes OF
the world In defense OF our common
liberties and against a common en-
emy.
While they were straining every re.
source, and spending their life. In
a cause In which our interest. meas
ured from every angle. was as vital
as theirs. We were r~aping for them
a golden harvest I, Is true that
this was not the fruit OF selfish de-
sign. but Z, Is also true that Il casts
upon us the obligation To utilize this
wealth. (which they coined out OF
their privations and their blood. to
right this monstrous wrong done 10
them and to us
Not only mus, we put our wealth
into this war. but We must be pre-
pared TO strain every resource OF
men and means, In war any con,in-
gency may arise. We have seen In
this war how number OF contingen-
cieS arose TO defeat the careful plans
OF the Germans and to save the al.
lies. Similar accidents have delayed
and often defeated contemplated
moves by the allies.
Suppose Russia should make a
separate peace with the Central Pow.
crr. This would release at least q
million effective German and Aus.
trian soldiers held by Russia as pris
oners Of war. II would enable tbs
Central Powers 10 transfer TO ths
Western front two and . half mill
lon mon now guarding the Easters
front. II would give Germany accesI
10 the immease food stores Of Russia
Could England. Frasee aad Itai,
hold hack three sad . half miiiioI
Additional soldisrs sAtil ws eoui'
traia our armies tor the fleids
would also saabls Germany 70 sspss,
upon Ne Wsseess sroat he nusi
tieas row Fsqulrsl soe TIE Eassss,
IerooN. III 'it4
sssss q
p,>sans~6 Usa.,, I. n. $1,000.
La Junta tribune., 1917-06-21

PFss11sae WIlssa. = u DesslAaA.
New-York tribune., 1917-12-16

fought a duel at $4,000 feet with n
member of the Royal Flying Corps.
They did not discover their mistake
till the battle had become a draw, and
thoy had parted without injury to
either. Later both were reprmandet
by their officers, and there were mutual
apologies. The use of the Allied co
carde by the Huns increases the dan
ger of such mistakes, as well es max
ing 1t harder for an Allied pilot 20
know when there is foe before him
When an enemy plane has been
sighted, maneuvring for the attack be-
gins at once. One must take advantage
Of every bit of natural cover, in an ef-
fort to catch the Hun unawares. II the
day is clear, for instance, The pilot
should try TO get between his enemy
and the sun, which will blind The Boche
and the attacker can get within few
feet before discovered. II is almost
impossible 10 see a machine that is
ldlllHB IIOin aDVNt NiNH tit sN4l oNhiiAe
il. The use of clouds for both attack
and escape is of course very frequent.
This can be done best when the clouds
are large, feecy white ones, scattered
about the sky. One may fly above
them, catching occasional glimpses Of
the earth to avoid being lost, and one
has a gallery seat for the whole show,
of all the planes in the air beneath
him, without being himself exposed.
AS a protection against attacks from
above most planes Of both sides now
are camoufaged on the upper side of
the wings. The difficulty of success
full disguise Of plane that will work
under all conditions is great, since the
background changes so frequently.
Still, the camoufage may be designed
for the kind of background that is
most frequent, and it helps just that
much. Attempts are also made to dis
guise the under sides of the wings
of course with a very different color
scheme. pale blue, pea greens. alum
mum. like the silver sky-both to make
a poorer target for anti-aircraft guns
and to enable one to drop down on an
enemy from above without being
spotted.
New-York tribune., 1917-12-16
The Best Way
To Attack Foe

The modes Of attack, as has been
stated, differ according to the type Of
enemy machines. Ii by good luck you
catch a Boche isolated and the plane
is "A single scatter, the fGvorite mode
of attack is 10 dive down from behind,
aoc c ~ a. U !
behind him-"getting under his tail, F"
we call il. Here you can pump lead
into him at will, as he carries but one
gun-mounted forward. lie must turn
his plane TO fire back at you. Another
mode of attack, used when you meet
instead Of overtaking the enemy. is to
dive head on. then to reyersement,
bringing you up and behind the enemy,
protected By his stabilizers, where you
again have the advantage. The best
position for this form of attack is
arGnf" (from three-quarters in ad-
vance). Diving from that position, the
Hun pilot cannot fire at you without
shooting through b.
is a biplane-in fact, these may hide
YOU from him entlrely-and the ie-
versement places you exactly under his
tail.
The combat, Of course, does not often
hOTh OuN III NhtS "egs
enemy pilot lodges TO prevent your
getting under his tail, and the duel
then becomes a series Of acrobatie ma
nqpvres, each man trying to get on the
position Of advances. L~e.. .,a.. .Ies
10 get on the nerves Of his adversary by
keeping him under fire as constantly as
possible, and at the same time protects
himself by virages. slips and loops, TO
keep out OF the Others line OF ti-e The
combat does not last long-a few sec
onds usuallY-when one man loses his
nerve ard becomes demorsiIzed and
tries TO escape.
II one is surprised in the air by an
enemy he should never dive, always
climb. II the attaeker follows, you
should spiral upward, keeping him al.
ways inside the circle, In sight, and
watching for an opportunity 10 dive at
and under him. If, however, the pilo,
sees the enemy diving az him, IL Is
thought good plotting to keep as nearly
directly below him as possible and 60
through the same maneuvres that he
does, only at a lower altitude. If he
dives, you dive; il he virages, you fol
low; il he climbs, you 20 up after him.
While you do this he cannot bring a
gun TO bear on you, and there is always
a chance that he will make a slip and
let you &C: under bis tail. II this does
New-York tribune., 1917-12-16

it is at this moment that the observer
of a biplane will start his deadly fire
against you. 1t is now that the aero
batics are most essential, as by falling
into nose spins, wing slides and the
falling leaf" drop you not only get
away quickly but disconcert your en-
emy's aim.
The nose spin, or vrille, has long been
considered the best method of breaking
off, and it is almost absolutely safe
with an ordinary opponent. But should
the Hun be an expert he will take ad-
vantage of the dead points" in the
spins-the moments when the planes
wing area is opposite him at the start
and finish of spin--to open fire. The
wing slide is another excellent method
of escape-it is used exclusively by
Lieutenants Dorme and de la Tour,
two of Frances greatest pilots.
New-York tribune., 1917-12-16
Allies Hold Supremacy of the
Air by VIII PoWer and Daring
Shown In Hundreds of Daily En-
counters With Boche AUions
By Bennett A. Molter, F. A. F. c.

Victory in the combats on which all
this depends comes down, since ma
chinery is equal. to question Of the
flying and fighting ability Of the pilots.
Given equal courage-and the Boche
aviators have that, whatever may BE-
said Of the men on the ground when
they are thrown on their individual
initiative-given equal courage, it is
the flying that counts most. For each
combat is a contest in air manguyres
in which the winner lives.
To approach TO within a short dis
tanco Of the enemy and to fire with GER
titude is delicate thing, and one that
requires much experience. There must
be no swerving away from the enemy
you must often nearly run him down
and it frequently happens that when a
collision at 10000 feet seems inevita-
bic it is the one whose nerve lasts a
few seconds longest that is able to
report back at his hangar. 1t is the
spirit that carries the Allied Aiers over
those last few inches, the dash that
disconcerts and overawes the enemy,
that give them the supremacy Of the
air.
Nor does this mean contempt Of the
enemy-that is fatal, and often has
been. Fritz in the air is always dan
gerous, and one comes to regard him
with a very real respect-not for his
cause, but for mis- ability. There are
too many Allied planes that do not
come home, too many pilots marked
missing" for any man who has been
long at the front to have any idea that
he can give Fritz anything less than
the best he has. Only he knows that
when he does hang on for the last inch
he will win.
New-York tribune., 1917-12-16
Death May Come
From Six Directions

In 1ying over the lines one never
holds 10 a straight course. This is not
wholly due to the enemy's antl-aireraft
guns, though it is safeguard against
them. II is also TO give the pilot a
chance TO see in all directions SO that
he may not he surprised by an enemy
'plane. Remember, a pilot has SIX
directions from which an attack may
comc--north, south, east and west,
above and below. He must have a keen
eve to be ever watchful in all those
directions, lest death swoop upon him
uuawares. He must make sharp
yiraces, banks and turns. He never
locks over the edge of his nacelle, but
always turns the plane on It's Side.
Above all, he must never be overtaken
by an enemy 'plane-he must overtake
il. 1t is always every pilots duty wnen
in the air to Oyertake every plane tnat
he sees, and make sure OF its identity.
The biplanes usually go out with es-
corts, and in attacking them (they are
usually of great value, since they carry
observers, often with cameras) the first
thing to be done is to separate them
from the conveys. 1t is suicide to at
tack a group, as the attacker would
come under the crossfre Of all their
combined machine guns and would not
have many seconds to live. There is
always almost complete safety in
grouns. and it is because of this that
1ilots are forbidden to fly singly over
the lines. Remember, the governments
investment in a pilot exceeds five fig
ures.
The departure at the termination Of
a combat-when you have decided that
the chances are against you or give
up hope of being able to outmanoeuvre
your enemy--is most delicate. Often
New-York tribune., 1917-12-16

not happen he will soon give up and
leave you.
The two scatter (biDl0ce) machine is
a more dangerous adversary, in that 1t
is better protected by gunfre, though
it has not the agility Of the smaller
machines The biplane is strongly
guarded at the rear, having a machine
gun mounted there on swivel, 10 be
fred By the observer, as well as the
usual fixed gun in front, fired By the
pilot. This greatly reduces the dead
areas Of ERE" and makes it possible to
come at the machine only from direct
Iy above, or behind and below. The
now Gothas have further decreased this
dead fire area" by mounting a third
qua Of the floor Of the nQcelle. which
is fireI through d tunnel in the fusel
age, 20 that the position "under the
tail" easomes deadly danger, instead Of
an advantage.
New-York tribune., 1917-12-16

yrNHE Allied flying men hold the su-
premacy Of the air on the West
= ern front to-day by sheer will
,,wsr. It is the combined power Of q
,houssnd individual wills, Of their dar-
i,g. their skill and their devotion. But
most Of all il is their determination
and confidence that keep the Boche
b,sk Of bis own lines in the daylight
lsurs. when be can see the vital things.
Tsey are also the ones who permit the
Allied generals to know, through their
syirg eyes, from hour to hour, Of all
hat goes on behind the German front.
Armament to-day is equal. The
goehe planes have as good and trust
worthy machine guns as we-and no
5,tter. They carry the same number
drounds Of ammunition. Their planes
q, as fast. 80 rev wrinkle, no new
v,k. no new device can be kept q Sc
7r BIZ either side for more than d few
AVS after 1t appears at the front.
Tbs is due not only 10 the number OF
ssr planes brought down back Of their
Ines. but TO the German spy system
SPIES cheek up our planes as we'll as
troop movements. So, in equipment,
We are equal. It IS probable that Cor
The last few months we have had more
planes than they, but they are always
able 70 concentrate equal or greater
numbers against US when they make
ls effort
Air supremacy is not 70 be deter
mined by counting noses or weighing
guns. It is the sum Of a great number
Of details-and each detail is a com
bat between an Allied and Hun air
nan, hundreds in each twenty-fouI
AturA We control the air because we
sih most Of these combats-because
h. Bochc fears US, fears TO come over
our lines, fears TO take the risks with
ogt which he cannot make his work Of
res. value TO his General staff. He
las not given up the fght-far from
ii-but be fights desperately 20 defend
his own ground and to invade ours,
yet day by day we beat him back, and
day by day We go where it is most
nsedful.
New-York tribune., 1917-12-16

Of safety. Even Guynemer would never
have thought of flying alone during
the later months Of his life; 1t was
different in the early days. Guynemer
escadrille, N-3, was composed Of some
Of tho best pilots Of France and team
work was their special strength.
The Gghting planes leave their aero
dromes at one or two minute intervals
and each pilot as he leaves the ground
reaches out and "arms" his machine
gun by swinging the levgr that pro
iects from the right Of his windshield
ard pushing under the hammer OF ms
yickers gun the first cartridge IN hi'
belt. The guns are never loaded when
on the ground, as a jar might set them
going, and the first duty of pilot "
going up is to arm his machine just
as his last duty before alighting is TO
disarm it. Each pilot has single
belt OF cartridges 600 roundO coiled
in a little box at the right and under
his gun. That is his trips" supply
if he exhausts it he must return 10
the hangar, IL he can.
After leaving the hangers the planes
proceed to some agreed rendezvous IN
he air, above some landmark. There
,bev whip into formation. The cher
Of the patrol, after the group IL
formed. slowly balances-that 49, see
saws his machine as signal Tor dc
oarture-and off they are on theF
patrol Of the lines. Each pilot in the
oroup must watch and follow every
movement Of his chief. Recently
avions have been equipped with
radio receiving outfit, and are notified
while in flight of any concentration oil
enemy planes in nearby sectors. rhey
then start Immediately for the scene
and give battle.
Sometimes it happens that some man
in the second or third position IN the
Group will be the first to see an eneh!
.nlane. In that case he immediately
caves his position, flies up beside tne
,hief and balances his machine lie
hen. for the time, becomes the chiel
Of TIE group. He leads the attack. tne
others following and supporting him.
When the combat is finished he returns
TO his former position, and the group
resumes it's patrol under the orlginal
chief. If a patrol meets two groups
of enemy planes at once, it divides
automatically, the left wing forming
cne group, the right another, and each
goes to meet one of the Boche groups
When either terminates its combat II
reioins the other. and when the second
combat is over the patrol reforms and
returns to its beat.
On the return of group to It's alr-
drone. the chief of the patrol descends
first, the others circling around to take
their turns at landing, which they do
m the same order as they took their
departure, at about two-mlnute inter-
walls.
New-York tribune., 1917-12-16
Laying an Air Trap
Is a Willy Business

The laying of traps and ambuscades
for the enemy 'pIanes has become a
recognized feature of air warfare. The
object, OF course, Is always TO bring q
sudden overwhelming force against one
or two men, shut OFT their escape and
bring them down without putting your
own pilots into any serious danger.
The plan most used was first tried out
by EscadriLte N-3-that famous organ
izatlon of which Guynemsr was the
star. A patrol from it would go out,
flying very high up, leaving an expe-
rienced man for decoy 5000 or o,ooO
feet beneath them. They would keep
out of sight as well as possible, while
the decoy would loaf along letting
himself be surprised" by nun. lie
would let him come within 200 or 5"U
feet of him, open fire, and then, before
ne got into any serious danger, go into
a yrille or wing slip and escape. by
the time this happened the other mem
bers of his squadron would be IN top
of the Boche.
The trick works both ways. II was
in this manner that James Norman
Hall, of the Lafayette Squadron, and
the author of "KItehener's Mob was
40 severely wounded recently. His ex-
perience is almost incredible. The
Lafayette was going on its daily patrol
and Hall was delayed several minutes
by motor trouble in taking the air.
This remedied, he hurried to the rem
devious, but found that his comrades
had already given him up and departed.
He took the great risk of setting out
TO find them. 4.
Five or six miles the other side OF
the Hun lines he saw six or seven
New-York tribune., 1917-12-16

in the Flanders district the recog-
milton of planes is particularly diff
cult, because of the great number OF
types in use there. Besides the usual
familiar types OF Boche machines, and
the French ones, there are planes of
the British Royal Naval Air Service,
the British Royal Flying Corps (dif-
ferent organizations with different
types of machines) the Belgian Avia-
ton Corps, and the Portuguese army
planes. Their types and sizes vary so
much it is easy to make a mistake, and
this happens quite frequently. Once a
member of famous French escadrille
New-York tribune., 1917-12-16
Boy of II Made
Phenomenal Fight

One Of the most thrilling and spec
tacular air duels ever witnessed started
because one of our greatest aces, Ma
varre, had undeTestimsted the Boche
opposed to him. 1t was in the region
of Dixmude, and Navarro swooped at
New-York tribune., 1917-12-16

~ Is mounted on swivel Sse backward and covers the Whos
5 bbri M except he cannot fire through bis own tall
Ios,g ah spot that point In the great Gotha pisn
shown in the diagram the Germans have party
, r,eIsee This only small death tpoa TO the
oh or left Of tail where neither the upper nor lower gun
1t, zach Guns have also been mounted swtyes In
front % give greater protection against attacks from that quarter
New-York tribune., 1917-12-16
Most Amazing
Fall of the War

A French officer who was In CONF
mand of troops in the front line and
witnessed the entire combat completes
the story. In a letter he wrote Han
he says that after he came out of his
vrille he saw him glide across the Ger
man lines into French territory, make
a virdqe and redress his plane for the
landing. Remember that all this tms
Hall was unconscious. This surely
goes far to prove the theory that IN
aviator's plotting Is sub-conscious:
Nothing more amazing than Hairs
landing has happened during the war.
His machine came down directly over
q French trench, the two wheels on its
landing chassis set themselves down
into the trench, and the plane was held
firmly, not across the trench, but with
the fuselsge pointing straight. up. the
wings lying out on either side along
the trench. The machine settled, the
wings bent and collapsed, and hali'
still strapped To his seat, was let down
easily into the trench, taking no sGdi-
tional injury from the landing.
II was afterward learned that the
group that had attacked Hall was
Baron Won Richthoven's famous dying
circus" among the most dangerous OF
the Boche squadrons, but now being
broken up.
New-York tribune., 1917-12-16
Veteran Pilot Tells How to At
tack and How to Defend Ambus-
cades Set for Fliers, While Fight
ingMachines Now Workin Groups

planes that looked at their 16,000-foot
elevation like those Of his patrol. He
started toward them, and when almost
beneath them saw just q plain Bochc
plane. Still believing that the men
above were his friends, he attacked the
Boche. As ne went into viragc to
attack he saw that the higher planes
were all diving for him, and that they
were German! Instead Of turning tail,
Jimmy dove straight at the Boche be-
meath, opening fire with his machine
gun in the hope Of getting the Boehe
before he was brought down himself
Then he got il from every side. One
bali passed through his left lung, an-
other furrowed his forehead, a third
pierced his thigh. He went into a yrille
at full motor-a terrific maneuvre-
his only chance. He lost consciousness,
and did not regain it until he had fallen
to 5000 feet, lO,000-foot fall. Then
he came to. just for second, but he
remembers distinctly bringing HIS
plane back into control, shutting OF
the motor and heading for the French
lines. He knew nothing more till he
was OIL q stretcher, being carried TO
dressing station.