New-York tribune., 1918-02-22
Germans Rule Air
Over American Lines.
Said Correspondent

Ihe Associated Press dispatch re-
TERED to in the above story printed
in late editions OF yesterdays Tribune,
follows:
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN
FRANCE, Feb. 20.-Control of the air
in the American sector belongs to the
enemy. Any officer at the front will
make this declarntion-all have made
1T. The control is obvious. German
alrp1anes come and go over the Ameri-
can lines almost at will
Every time the Germans come over
their path through the sky is follow
ed by fleecy shrapnel puffs, but the
chances Of hitting an airplane with
anti-aircraft shells is so remote that
the enemy aviators calmly fly along
as If on a pleasure tour Every now
the enemy. They always do this when
they get . chance. But the Boche is
clever while flying and manages to
come over and take pictures, make OBJ
servatlons and do virtually whatever
else he desires. and then calmly sail
nome without interruption. Nearly al
was he is at an altitude of about
5000 metres. whore he is conpara-
lively safe from anti-craft fire and
knows it,
St is not permitted to name any Of
I cSUPU1tlO01rE
force. 1t is not permitted to uote
them. If both were allowed it would
,, be possible to carry quotations from
virtually every officer at the front urg-
ing speedy appearance of large num-
bers OF American airplanes with Amer
lean pilots.
For there is only one way to wrest
control of the air from the enemy;
that IS. to fight him for it in the sky
and to relieve him of it by force OF
overwhelming numbers.
Right now, if the Germans knew
American airplancs were waiting for
them every time they came over the
line. their trips would be less frequent.
Neither would they dare to attempt
such bold piece of work as when they
recently flew over the line in an air
plane disguised with the Allied red.
white and blue bullscye working and
cut loose with machine-gun on
American soldiers in the trenches.
AS a result of reports from the
American frontier in France that CON
, troll of the air in the American sector
belongs TO the enemy the Aero Club
OF America last night sent telegram
to Secretary Baker calling upon him
to issue public statement explaining
what is being done to remedy this
condition.
SO serious is the situation. in the
opinion of officials Of the club, that
special meeting Of the executive
board was called yesterday to consider
the best methods to supply the air
planes, aviators and equipment neces-
sary to wrest from the Central Powers
supremacy in the air.
After the meeting of the executive
board the following statement was
issued:
Approaching that The Associated
Press dispatch published to-day, which
states the Germans are masters of the
air at the fronts. will make the coun-
try ,realize that unless the United
States can supply the airplanes, equip
ment and aviators needed to coue with
the situation, disaster will follow, the
executive committee Of the Aero Club
of America to-day held d special
meeting, at which it was resolved to
send Secretary Baker the following
telegram urging that he issue pub
lie statement covering the following
points:
Have the plans for aircraft pro-
duction, which were made at the time