New-York tribune., 1918-05-26
Enemy Airmen Fight
Vainly to Clear Way
For Troops
Communications
Constantly Attacked
Bombing of Foes Lines
Skaters Ludendorf's
Plans
By Arthur S. Draper
The Tribune)

Especial Cable to The Tribune)
LONDON, May 25.@The attack
by German aviators on a British hos
pital camp emphasizes the fierceness
of the aerial fighting in France.
where, out Of sheer desperation, the
Germans have committed crimes as
black as any they have been guilty
Of in this brutal war. There is no
longer any doubt but that the AL
lies are clearly superior to the Ger
mans in the air. Each day this
advantage is growing, one in which
the American aviators share.
At no period of the war has either
side enjoyed such an advantage in
the air as that held at present by
the American, French and British
forces.
Slowly Beaten Down
It is true that the German fliers
are exceedingly active and daring.
But slowly and surely they are being
driven to earth. The British are
carrying out their bombing expedi-
;tions on scale which makes pre-
vious efforts seem insignificant.
With the American forces looming
up larger day by day, the results
seem inevitable. 1t is highly prob
able that the Allies will have the
same supremacy in the air that they
enjoy at sea.
No leader can estimate the value
of bombing. 1t may be that this
great weapon will revolutionize the
whole system of land fighting and
prove decisive factor in ending the
war. Even now the Allies are bomb
ing the enemy's lines OF commune
cation so that Ludendorff's plans
are being knocked awry. The Ger
mans are striving desperately to in
crease their output, but they are
deceiving their men harder than ever
and they are throwing aside all pre-
tence Of following the code of war
fare.
Foe Sees the Danger
They know that in their coming
push they will be at a considerable
disadvantage unless they can thin
out the flocks of Allied airmen who
hover over their area day and night.
What is happening at sea is being
repeated in the air. The part that
manufacturers of war munitions are
playing in the struggle is being de-
monstrated daily. Great as Ger
many's military organization is, the
recent happenings on land ana sea
show that the manufacturing genius
of America, France and Britain ex-
ceeds that of the foe.
German military critics are just as
Industrious in explaining the delay in
operations as are the writers on this
side of the line. The same argument
used by both sides results in totally
different conclusions.
German critics argue that delay
is of great value, as Ludendorff has
been able to get reserves from the
East, while at the same time the Aus
trian army facing the Italians has re-
ceived reinforcements from Rumania.
The Germans contend that their air
service is superior to that of the Al
lies, and that their losses are only half
as large as those of the Anglo-French
forces.
Running through the articles of such
critics as Endres, Gaedke, Sa1mann and
Won Ardenne there is constant specu-
lation about Foch's reserves and the
size of Che American expeditionary
forces.
In Dark About Americans
Most of the German critics write
calmly. but they are guilty of coloring
their reviews for home consumption.
However, this very exaggeration gives
= fair impression of the thoughts caus-
ing the greatest anxiety among the en-
cmy peoples. The German masses
have no idea of the number of Ameri-
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