The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-05-13
PLANE NEWS, PAPER
AMERICAN A|RMEN,
NO GLOOM PURVEYOR
Copies Received Show That,
1t Is One Grand Tonic of
Optimism and
Courage :

Washington, May 11-There is almost
no trace of the horrors of war in Plane
News, a newspaper edited and printed
by soldiers of the American expedition
airy force in France. The war annEver-
sary issue, dated ION Active Service.
April 6, 1885,, just received here, tells
of the minstrels and vaudeville, SYM
phony concerts and literary contests, and
the little everyday complaints of the
men of the aviation corps.
For those Americans back home who
grow weary in we'll doing. the newspa per
is one grand tonic of optimism Stretch
ing across the top of the first of the pa
pers four pages is the paraphrase or
secretary Redfields famous letter to his
bureau chiefs:
Forget how things were done before.
the war Eliminate red tape. We must
learn with the Germans that the war
won't wait. Delay is the Kaiser's ally"
The corps is proud of what has been
accomplished in the first wear of war.
prominence is given in the paper to an
official communication from Brig. Gen.
-. u. Foulois chief of the air service. 10
ing officer of the post, saying that the
progress made has met with high ap-
prevail both from Secretary Baker. whose
pictures, sketched by an army ARTIST
appears on another page. and General
Peshing. An article reviewing the ire
mendous expansion of the signal corps,
appears under the signature of Cadet
William B. Stone of Kansas City, MO,
formerly of the San Francisco and chi
nfffraS af "a
which he quotes a high officer as de-
elaring confidently:
When the American airplanes are
ready for the 'front.' we will HAYES pilots
TO drive them
But it is with the recreation of the
students and pilots that the paper Is
chiefly concerned. William Qanausek of
New York. doing Y. NJ C. A. work with
the army, organized a minstrel show
among the aviation cadets which was
pronounced without an equal among
A. E. f. shows.
From rag time the paper turns tos con-
certos for diversion. A 75-piece SYM
Ihony orchestra is being organized under
the leadership of Lieut. Won E1dorf
When music pals, there is wrestling.
with trophies for the champions. For
the less brawny, literary contests are
provided with prizes for the funniest
army life.
Professional players also are I'M France
to help the boys in their fight by giving
them wholesome amusement. Elsie Janis
was booked to appear twice at the
main "Y"
Then there are numerous informal
notes about some of the personnel which
perhaps never were intended to per-
colate hack to the states. Under the,
caption of What Uniform Can Do
the exploits of Harvey. 18th" are re-
counted. 1t is alleged that he receives
he has a girl in Columbus, San Antonio.
land. Erie, Buffalo. Rochester. Syracuse,
reason the name of the last town was
camouf1aged by dashes.
The Height of Misfortune has been
found by the camp paragrapher He
records: IAN officer and a cadet on this
h1me, and said officer censors the ca
diets mail"
The tragedy of war has found the re-
merrymaking. Touched by the sufferings
ing the boys have adopted several
fact that Plane News has adopted an
the skipper right down to the printer
devil. nave contributed to the support
of the little French 'demoiselle.'"
The managing editor of Plane News iss
Capt. f. Kearney.