New-York tribune., 1918-07-09
Constant Harassing by
Bombs Has Demoralized
Enemy's Schemes
Allies Control Air;
Down 213 in Week
Epoch-Making Struggle in
Skies Is Expected in
Next Battle
By Caspar Whitney
>....nl cnhlo 10 Thc Tr,hane-

PARIS. July S.-Why the Boche
DELAYS the offensive, for which his
rrenaration is enormous and his
troops in place. knowing that every
oay is an irreparable loss to him and
great gain TO the Allies, with Amer
cans going into the line in increas-
jrg numbers, is a question Of un-
ceasing and interesting speculation
here. on which new illumination
gas thrown yesterday by aviation
officers from the front with whom
talked.
Among the photographs made by
Allv observation planes of direct
hits on a crossroads railway juno
tion billet. one showed a bomb
dropping from the aeroplanes,
second the ammunition dump tow
ard which it was travelling and a
third the devastated area in which
the dump had stood. In these pho
tographs and the airmen's daily
strahng programme may be found
an explanation if not the answer
for the Boche's delay.
Loses 2f3 Planes
He is heing uninterruptedly har
assed, observed, fo1estalled by the
Allied aeroplanes, which are so su-
perior to his that during the last
week he has lost the astonishing
number of 213, to 63 lost by the
British and French. He is out
elassed by the skill and daring OF
the Ally air fleet, which begins to
realize its potentialities as an at
lacking force.
We are on the eve of an epoch
making deylopment in air warfare,
such as will establish it's immense
power and value as an independent
working offensive arm. General
Foch proved his prescience by first
thus using the aeroplane during the
last Somme battle, when he stopped
gap eft in the line by summoning
Ally machines to hold it by bomb
ing and using their machine guns
on the Germans until French troops
came up. and undoubtedly the brill
iantly successful aeroplane work
on that occasion saved the day from
ending disastrously for the Allies.
The use Of aeroplanes on a large
scale as an offensive weapon we are
soon to record. The actual siege
OF the Boche at the Somme is soon
tt begin. Already behind his bat
tie line ne feels the weight of the
Ally air fleet. He is being bombed
TO distraction, his plans disputed,
his organization demoralized, his
resting troops terrorized, his dumps
blown up and his lines of communi-
cation broken.
Only Taste Now
de Is faring badly; his men are
gwen no rest and his supplies little
security; yet he gets now but
taste Of the attack that is likely to
De launched upon him from the air
when he opens his next drive and
undertakes to move forward.
believe that the Ally air fleet
Will exercise a heavy influence in
ne final decisive engagements of
Tue war and doubt if ever again the
boche will be able to make such ad-
Vances as in the past. But this is
no reason for thinking that the
ooche Is beaten. He is greatly de-
'ayed, worried and injured, but re-
mans powerful, mobile, resource
iol' determined and desperate foe
between whose present harassment
and final defeat there are long, anx-
ious days of bitter and costly
lighting.
AS | have said, light is ahead
"mch' however, would quickly
ehange to darkness were we to un-
aervalue the magnitude of the task
iacing Us or were America to grow
oserconfident and complacent be-
cause of her recent praiseworthv
eaort- We must keep our war ma
'"lhe going at full speed if we
would be assured Of victory in 1919.