Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-04-26
YOUNG ARMEN
INCUR ENORMOUS
RESPONSIBILITIES
French Aviator Says Detailed
Sears of All Works of
Enemy Is Needed

The vast responsibilities which de-
volve upon youthful airmen before a
successful infantry attack can be
made on the western front are set
forth by an experienced French avi-
ator in the following communication
to the National Geographic Society.
issued from the society's Washing
ton headquarters as a war geography
bulletin:
"The time has passed when one
could make an improvised attack
upon the enemy, relying upon supe-
rior numbers and the morale of the
attacking troops to gain the victory.
ITO search out. in all their details,
the defensive works of the enemy
(barbed-wire entanglements, trenches,
blockhouses), the position of all his
batteries; to lacte the trails, rail-
ways, munition and supply depots
and headquarters of the comman-
ders; such is the work to be per-
formed by the scout planes before
every offensive operation.
ITO direct the firing of all the ar
tillery, whose task is to destroy the
barbed-wire entanglements and the
batteries; to locate the trails, rail-
and destroy the larger part of them,
to set on fire the munition depots
within its range, TO prevent or rem
der perilous any passing along the
roads and railways, to delay traffic
in the supporting railway stations;
to control the destruction of objec-
tives and the efficacy of long-range
AT, Il. vNVfp af no a 9 :
of the scout planes during the pre-
paratory period of an attack.
Program Depends on Eyes
Moreover, they assume the enor-
nous responsibility of the faithful
execution of this program. which is
carried out entirely through the in
termediation of their eyes.
FINALLY, on the day of attack, II
they who, flying at a low attitude
over the assaulting waves of the in
fantry, signal its progress to the su-
perior command; it is they who dis
cover the active batteries and re-
duce them to silence by causing them
to come under destructive fire; it is
thew who cause the dispersion of
wagon trains and troop columns VEN
turing along the roads and trains
near the battlefield; it is they who
watch for the possible launching of
a counterattack, always to be feared,
and which they must announce at the
right moment to the infantry and to
the commander in charge.
Thanks to the promptness OF
their reports sent by radio, the COM
mander is enabled to make his au-
thority felt during the progress of
the operation. When, in the midst
of the hazard of battle, the energies
of the combatants become scattered,
causing confusion and disorder, the
scout planes, by the accuracy of their
reports, permit the harmonizing of
effort necessary to the final victory.
ITO describe the airplanes used in
scouting. the details of their arma-
ment and the devices with which
they are equipped, would carry me
beyond the limits of my space. Evil
IDENTIFY it is the observer who must
have charge of the mission of recon-
naissance, of photography, of artil-
lery adjustment, or of infantry COM
munications; but he is aided by the
pilot, whose skill and decision con-
tribute in no small measure to the
successful development of the aerial
task.
This, then. is a brief sketch of
the immense task of the scout avia-
tors. You can understand why both
France and Germany first organized
this class so indispensable for con-
ducing land operations, offensive as
well as defensive"