The Washington herald., 1917-08-12

struggle. The opportunity Is here II
We have the energy, the wit, and
determination to take 1t. But while
we look with confidence to Americas
great aid in helping to solve the prcb-
lem OF aerial construction and finding
the requisite industrial and machine
power, in an eminent degree 1t is also
the task of England.
While ! am not in favor Of repri-
sails as such, 1t is evident that IL
Germany is able to attack London
and other cities in the United King
dom she automatically compels US to
keep aeroplanes and guns here for the
protection of those cities, and, by
immobilizing those units so far as
the actual fighting zone Is concerned,
she achieves definite military
object.
Frankly. there seems to me to be
no reason why we should not reply
IN the same way and compel the
Germans for the protection of their
own towns to keep at home squad
rons OF aeroplanes and batteries of
anti-aircraft guns. 1t is not for me
TO suggest to those in supreme COM
mand. either in the army or in the
air services, how and when this could
be done, but in my opinion the bomb
ing Of the German lines, communi-
cations and factories should be car
ried out on a much bigger scale than
at present, and to do this properly
Tar larger air forces than we COM
mand today are necessary.
What is a defended town? I hold
very strongly that no town in future
VIII be able to consider itself prop
erly defended II It has not the pro-
lection of aircraft and the latest anti
aircraft guns. The latter will be-
come less important as the former
become more numerous. II we have
TO immobilize all raft and guns for
the protection of our towns, surely
II would be the height of folly to
permit the Germans to escape with
out similar inroads on their own air.
craft and gun resources. We should
merely be unduly handicapping our
selves.
Where so-called reprisals have a
dehnite military value, as would be
the case IL we compelled the Ger
mans to keep at home numerous air
squadrons, they cannot be ignored
but these reprisals should take place
as far as possible on military strate-
gic points, such as the munition CEN
ters and communication bridges
Man-power is already declining and
Will shortly decline at a more rapid
rate. What is the only alternative? :?
More air power"
Maj. Alan H. Burgoyne, NJ. p, sec
retary Of the parliamentary air COM
mittee, agreed with Lord Montagu in
his attitude toward reprisals and the
aerial offensive. Maj. Burgoyne gave
his views on the understanding that
they are, his own and not necessarily
those of the air committee. II do not
like the term reprisals," he said. Be
cause the Germans killed women and
children in the promiscuous explosions
resulting from their raids, no sane
folk will advocate that we should go
to Germany with the deliberate In
tention of Staying their women and
children.
But IL fate ordained that Berlin
should be situated where Bruges now
is, and If, in that newly-placed Ber-
lin, were to be found factories con-
structing bombs, small arms, and
aeroplanes, barracks with men under
arms, docks, Offices from which war
like operations were controlled, should
we for fear Of killing women and
children give up our right under every
tenet of International law to bring
victory a little nearer through the de-
struction of these places? OF course
not.
The German war on the Western
front is being waged south and west