The patriot. [volume] (Indiana, Pa.) 1914-1955, 1918-01-05

Seneoule Is Cause for Suspicion
Men Selected as Observers Must
Have Physical Endurance and Acute
Vision.
(6y Captain In the Aviation corpa.)
hardly train moves within five
miles back of the German trenches, or
q squadron of men come up for relief,
or digging begun on a new series of
emplacements but a pair of keen eyes,
steadily watching from great observa-
ton balloons just behind the allied
rront, takes notice of 1t. Every move
ment, every activity, is registered un-
I'll schedule OF the usual enemy rou-
tine is built up and the average amount
OF motion known. Any departure from
this schedule is suspicious. A train
running late or with more cars than
usual, men in the trenches being re-
Heved too frequently, new roads or
emplacements being built too earnest
ly, give the first hint that "Fritz,"
across the line, is up to something.
! A keen balloonlst notes any OF these
changes, and at once telephones down
to the ground, "An extra train of six
cars passed -- at ten-forty." Half
a mile farther down the line another
pair of eyes reports, Large convoy
moving up to front, range so-and-so."
Still little farther down another sus-
piciOuS circumstance is noted, until the
general staff down below, assembling
all these straws, foresees the beginning
Of big offensive across the line. Coun-
ter measures are taken, batteries di-
rected, conveys and trenches smashed
up, and the enemy's plans thrown
askew.
Possibly, however, the offensive is
to come from the balloonist's own side.
The observer ascends with full knowl-
edge of all the details of action, en-
boldened probably to move up much
nearer the German lines than usual in
the belief that the enemy's artillery
will be driven off. The opening bonn
bardment is a time of ceaseless and
vital work, spotting shot by shot,
watching for new enemy batteries to
open up, moving the barrage fire back
and forth with the advance Of the
troops. Any error here may send the
steel wall into the observers own
troops or cost scores Of lives later by
failure to make complete demolition
Of the enemy's defense.
Gets Parachute Ready.
''Hostile airplane overhead" is apt
tO hrnalY In tbronoh fba toIopbovo x,ytrn
at any moment. A German aviator,
more adventurous than his fellows, is
swooping down, perhaps under a pro-
tecting the cloud, in an attempt to put
out the ever-watchful eyes. The OBJ
server makes ready his parachute, the
machine guns on the ground below
click off a rain Of lead at the invader,
and the windlass men start bringing
the big envelope to ground with all pos
sible speed. Perhaps the invader Is
driven off; perhaps the balloon is
stricken into flames and the balloonist
forced to parachute to the ground. In
either case it Is all part Of the days
work which adds adventure and ro-
nance to the responsible work done by
the balloOnist.
Such is, briefy-very briefy-the
duty end work of the balloon Observer
Calm, patient, ever watchful, he rides
far above the ground as the great en-
velope sways on its long cable Hours
pass, perhaps, but finally, as inevitably
as fate, the reward comes. A single
flash, a slight movement across the
line, and another tiny claw Of the Ger
man eagle reveals itself for the allied
artiIlerymen beneath.
The vital Importance and develop
ment Of this work has hardly as yet
been suspected in this country. "OVer
there" balloon observation has become
science which, while perhaps less
spectacular than airplane observation,
is none the less essential. The bal
lOonist, riding steadily for hours at a
time with the German lines spread out
before him, and in direct telephone
communication with the ground, with
his batteries, and with other balloons,
amasses q maze Of details and accu-
rate knowledge which his more vicarl-
Gus and lOnger-wiHged air brother can
not hope to secure.
Used in NapoIeonic Wars.
The first use of balloons in warfare
dates way back to the Napoleonic
wars, when France employed them
against Austria. So revolutionary was
the procedure, however, that all cap
tured observers were treated as spies
by the enraged Austrians. During the
Civil war in this country Northern OBJ
servers looked out across the Potomac
from near Washington at the Conf d.
crates, and gained very valuable In
formation, though under very precar-
Gus circumstances. France further de-
velope1 the art in the war Of 1870
against Germany, who later took IL
up on a much more ambitious scale In
her Zeppelins. The science fell upon
slack times, however, as did that Of
airplanes, and the war departments
reports of a few years back are full Of
brief statements that no work was
done in ballooning for lack of funds.