Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-08-22
Special Cable to Euening Public Ledger
Copvrioht. 1918, by the Nc,o York Times Co
With the American Army i'm France

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COPYRIGHT. 1918, by the NotD York Times Co.
With the American Army in France,
Aug. %.
1t is to be doubted If anything could
have caused more satisfaction
throughout our army than the an
nouncement that the first American.
made arplanes were doing duty on
the front.
Many discouraging delays and dis.
committing stories from the United
states about our air program have
caused a certain spirit of apathy and
doubt, not only among our aviators,
but in the infantry and artillery as
well--a sort of feeling that America
was never going to produce any air
plones on the front lines. Our sol.
dlers had seen Germany and our al
lies increase their air strength, and
had realized the growing Importance
OF air work, while all the time Amer.
lcan airplanes seemed only a myth,
our trained aviators having waited so
long In vain for machines
France. had supplied all the ma.
chimes she could spare, but because
OF the large number of airmen that
lett most of them on the ground. For
the first sixteen months we were in
the war we placed no airplanes on
the front, and it was impossible for
our allies to supply our large needs
! in comprehensive way because of
their requirements. We have had
| sGuadrons at work for months with
| French machines. but we could have
! had ten miles as many men in the
air had the machines been here.
Real American Planes Now
But now comes the refreshing
promise that all this is to be changed
American airplanes--American from
| tip to tip-are here at the front and
| that brings belief in the official state
! ments that many more are coming
! and that at last America is to be a
| hig factor in the air--a factor, the
| need of which has been very appar-
ent in the recent fighting of our troops.
No air work so appeals to Amer
! leans as that of the chase machines.
| American aviators' love to match nerve
| and wits against boche aviators. with
full confidence in the result. Conse-
| quently. there may be some dsap.
are yet in sight from America. But
If she never places a chase machine
on the front, a big field of air service
still lies open to America. 1t is in
bombing work that America stands
Il chance to make big air play.
Chase machines are essential to pro.
tecting observation machines and
'coping boChe flicrs beyond our lines
but | feel strong in the prediction
that America Is to make bombing the
| biggest war air work. Between the
wor.; of the chase wasp and the heavy
bombing machine there is the differ
ence between a machine gun and a
heavy cannon. 1t is the machine gun
ner who can bravely stand off the
onemy close at hand, but it is the gun.
1rr of the big field piece who can
! send destruction and fear far back into
the enemy's lines.
Air bombers in thousands from
America can do wonders toward early
| victory. If America puts 5000 bomb.
~ airDlaneS to work by next spring
she will have done her part in the air
Ono who has seen much of the work OF
the German bomhers in the last few
weeks almost shudders to think Of the
haVoC that could be done by a flight
IF 1000 American bombers back of the
Hun lines.
Bombers Could Win Battles
I believe il is safe to say that 1000