The Springdale news., 1918-01-25
Sharp American Eyes High In Sky Keeping Close and Constant Watch
 on German Trenches "Oyef There"

and is able to pierce far back into the enemy's lines. The nose detailed and up-to-the minute maps, the finest kind of field glasses, and instant com munication with the ground make the balloonist a master of everything spread out before his gaze.
 When the American troops are pre- pairing to lover the top" an unusually large number of balloons will be con centrated as secretly as possible in masked camps in order not to betray what is about to take place. At the appointed moment they will take the air and divide up every detail of the battle amongst them. Some will rec ord the heavy artillery fire, shot by shot; others will see to it that the work of demolition behind the enemy's lines is effective; others will guard against any endorsements or traps.
 As the troops 20 over they will cheek closely the German batteries, the shifting of their infantry, and the assembling of supplies. As the American forces advance the balloons will move forward also in unison with them along routes previously pre- pared Observations for the barrage will be sent down repeatedly, so that it may move back and forth with the men and details sent so that the enc my's guns setting up the destructive couner barrage may be sileneed.
 Every Detail of Land Noted.
 To de this the American balloonist must know every detail of the enemys land opposite him, for a mistake on his part may cost the lives of scores of men below. No new battery should open up across the lines without it's location being spotted on the detail map. the number and size of the pieces and their objective noted, and counter fire preparations made against 1t. No new troops should move into the en- emy trenches without being fully known. numbers as well as routes difficult work all of it-for the Ger man has many willy devices for simu- lating gunfire and camouflaging movements.
 And the work also will not be with out danger and difficulties, though the chances of fatal outcome are not large. If 1t is not sweeping air man bent on setting the big gas bag on fire, 1t may be a rain of shrapnel seeking the same object or of percus- sion shells endeayoring to blow up ] the windass below and set the big bag adrift in a wind blowing across the German lines. Naturally. every pre- caution in the way of protecting air men and anti-aircraft guns are on hand. but even at that constant viz ilance $ essential
 Selected Men Observers.
 Men who are being selected as ob- servers. and who will all be commits stoned as officers. should have physi- cal endurance, acute vision, an appre- citation of distances and localities, and, above all, d sense of responsibility and thoroughness in keeping with the im- portanee of the work assigned to them. They may be somewhat older than aviators- preferably from p to 35- and of somewhat less severe physical requirements A special training is given in winds, military observation, meteorology, and ballooning before a cadet is given his officers commission and his post above the trenches in France, in order that the high stand ards prevailing throughout the air service generally may be upheld.
 For the enlisted men who will form the souadrons, gas-works employees, rope triggers, cordage workers, and mechanicians are especially fitted. The number of men trained through their civilian occupations to do this delicate and highly specialized work is limited indeed, and the difficulty of es- tablishing contact with them IS great. Nevertheless the forces are being brought together with gratifying ra- pidity and give every promise of be- coming an efficient part of the air es- tablishment which is to help the allies blind the German forces in France, IN THE WASHINGTON COUNTY
 COURT.