Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-08-13
Should Have Good Effect.

The flight of a squadron OF ltaiiai
aircraft from Rome to Vienna, distance
of 62l miles. was indeed one Of the hig
achievements of the war. Captain Ga
br1elle d'Annunzio, the Italian poet,
commanded the battalion, which was
comprised OF eight Italian machines, and
all made the trip without mishap except
one which was compelled 10 land, and
probably was captured by the Austrlans,
The airplanes left their base at $50 a IN.
and covered the 62l miles by l240 p m,
a few minutes more than s, ven hours.
Aside from noting the fact that the
flight was made in safety the experience
proves that the airplane is capable OF
making long-sustained journeys. IN fact,
the success Of the flight brings airmcn still
further to the fore as a vital auxiliary OF
war
Ifa trip from Rome to Vienna is possible
a flight from Paris to Berlin IS quite
within the bounds Of early probability.
The eff ct Of mir bombs on the Hun has
been observed in several smaller towns near
the German border. and Il can be set down
as entirely satisfactory.
What a contrast between the way the
fearless French and cowardly, craven
Germans met the danger Is quite worth
noting, SIS illustrating the racial dliier-
ences between the two peoples. The
Germans. men and women, huddlcd like
terrified sheep into cellars and burrows Of
all kinds that were at hand, in tears and
with lamentations, prayers, ravlngs and
cursing. Possessed with great over
whelning fear, il was 3 fear that brought
death TO many sf this nation with its
inbreeding of yellow. The people pctl-
toned the Kaiser TO have the raids
stopped, and as the Only One could not
grant this modest demand, the people OF
the bombed towns voted aircraft ralds
barharous and unwarlike and sent com
missions to Berlin 10 insist the Hun make
a dicker with the Allies BY which Germany
would be freed from these penods OF
danger. The Kaiser, prior TO this time
for two years had been bombing London
and Paris and unfortifed coast towns and
peaceful fishing villages.
During the daily bombing OF Paris by
the so-called super-gun, or at night by
aircraft, the French, while realizing the
danger, have shown no signs OF panic,
but have gone on with their work or their
recrestions, regarding this dastardly mode
of attack as an incident Of war when the
foe is such as is the barbarous, demomcal
Boche.
Even with the Crown Prince at the
Gate of Paris, awaiting opportunity TO lead
his horde of hooters and despoilers INTO
the CITY. the French continued earnestly
at their tasks, every man, woman and
child performing some useful war work, a
help toward making good the national
watchword: They shall not pass
A race of patriots, loving France even
more than their own babes-beheviDg
there is no other country under the sun
half so good, no other people who extract |
so many Joys from the serious problem OF |
living; and in time OF peril ready 10 stand |
bv to the last drop of blood-no complain |
ing, no terror-they show no yellow dog. |
Now that the way has been shown it |
is not unsafe to predict that Berlin |
possibly the palace at Potsdam- |
Frankord, even the krupps, may be |
visited by our airmen. The Allies soon /
will have five machines TO the foes one, |
and they have the best aviatOrs- -fiiers |
not afraid to take the chance of dropping !
a shower of bombs on the capital of the !
German Empire.
What CONSERVATION such an invasion /
would create throughout the Empire |
what cries of 'foul tactics, unfair war, "
and every conceivable howl would go up /
from the SNUG, self-complacent German
people.
d'Annunzio's experimental journey
also has awakened this country to the
of an air raid, and the country
would be wise if it prepare for such an
Peary warned Washington that the Huns
would attack our coast towns with new
His prediction has been
partially fulfilled by a U-boat's attack,
With its guns, on a hghtship off Hatteras,
within short distance Of the shore. The
U-boat, by that experience, has proven
hat it could do great damage along our
,oast-not vital damage in military
eDse, to be sure, but highly destructive,
nevertheless.
The Rome aircraft, after reaching
Vienna, dropped millions of leaflets
telling the people that they
we're bhndly following criminal crew of
eaders who had deceived them N their
u oInises to give them food, who took all
he loot of Russias granaries and left
hem to starve.
Such is the difference between nations.
With whomsoever you contrast the
reuton, he always stands out as the arch