Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1917-01-05
BY LINCOLN EYRE.

by EiNCOEN T n
Correspondent OF the New York World.
Headquarters OF the American rs
cadrllle on the Somme Front--Wit
the French aviation is an art; with tn
British, sport, and with Americans
at least, with those on the Sornme-'
business. came to appreciate TIL!
during the four hours I spent on thu
aviation field which the American
share with three of the crackest OF al
crack French escadrilIes. One cannO
witness the return to earth IRON
flights in the danger zone OF al
American, an Englishman and
| Frenchman without realizing to what
an extent nationality counts nova
! days in the curiously temperamental
| science of battle flying.
The American escadrille IS CON-
posed of youths who, compared with
their French and British comrades
and their German antagonists, arr
| the veriest apprentices Of the air. 1t
is holding its own against big odds,
because it's members are inspired
with every Americans ruling passion
efficiency. They fight with the ma
chinelike precision that has made
American business big. Their view
point embraces neither the BritOn's
sporting proclivities nor the artistic
fnesse Of the French.
No drills" to This Report
Adjutant Givas Lufbery, the esca-
drille's star by right Of mention in the
official communique for bringing down
his fifth enemy's plane, landed from
volunteer excursion into Germany"
everything beyond the French lines
Is Germany" TO an aviator-soOn after
my arrival at the field l watched him
dismount and make his report to Cap
tain Thenault, the Americans French
commander. as follows:
81 met a couple Of boches at 1900
feet over Bouchavesnes and dlved on
one of them, a thousand feet or so
below me. He was an Albatross. l
guess, doing observation work. The
other was an Aviatik, protecting him.
so he started for me as soon as start
ed for the Albatross, who was beating
it away fast. l caught up in time to
shoot a drum at him. 1t looked like
he was falling. but I didn't have tine
TO watch. because the Aviatik was
shooting at me from above. l spiraled
down out OF his reach and then turned
up again, looking for him, but he'd dis
appeared. Maybe 1 got the AlbatrosS.
though. You haven't heard from the
observation people. have you?"
Lufbery's tone was as matter-of-fact
as a stock broker telling about the
days dOings on the Street. He omit
ted to remark that his plane bore sew
eral fresh bullet holes. any one OF
which. few inches to right or left.
would have scored bulTs-eye for the
Aviadk's machine gunner. Doubtless
he figured the holes were not worth
because they hadn't i'm
paired the fighting efficiency of his
craft.
"A jolly Good Day"
Soon afterward a British airman. /
obliged to seek his allies hospitality 4
through lack of petrol. swung down in 1
front of the French hangers. He was |
quickly surrounded by a crowd of /
French pilots and mechanicians. eager /
70 inspect an airplane so different /
rom their own makes. DISCRIMINATING.
lie shook hands all around. lit a ciga-
'ette and observed airily:
Jolly good day today. eh what? Per
ectly ripping TO have a go at the old
'oches again after all this rotten
I've just been having a bit
# show with four of him-an Avia-
ikS, too-but 1t was too much like the
lare facing the hounds. you know, so
came away in a hurry. Don't mind
HANGING it with two boches. you know.
ut four TO ones not cricket, by Jove.
5 it,"
His machine in order again. the
,nglishman started off for his own
mes. Before leaving. however. he en-
ertained his audience on the ground
nth series of loop-the-loopS. spiral
~ and other stunts that made the
'renchmen gasp. A dozen times ii
'oked as if this sportive gamboling
ere going TO end fatally.
He'd better save that stuff for the
oches," one of the Americans re-
larked. and q French pilot replied.