The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-22
War Department Officials Surprised, But Will Make
 No Statement
FRONT AT
 MERCY OF GERMANS
News Comes Enemy Avia- tors Fly Over Lines at Will, Observing and
 Dropping Bombs

evidence of surprise today at press dispatches from France telling of fGerman control of the air over the sector of the front held by the American forces. They would make no comment for publication, however, and Secretary Baker also was silent beyond saying that his advices from General Pershing made no mention of such situation. Disclosures of the conditions de- scribed by the dispatches comes on the heels of Secretary Bakers an |nouncement yesterday that American built battleplanes had been shipped to 1 France five months ahead of the original schedule and soon would be ready in quantities.
 This statement does not mean that the whole programme for the Ameri- can air fleets is so far ahead and 1t is understood that actually it IS not liar from the schedule one way or the other. The exact status of the pro- pramme is a carefully guarded secret. Secretary Baker said today in re- sponse to questions about the cable dispatches that any publicity of that nature must come from General Per- shing, who alone is able to judge of the military value of the information. OTHER ELEMENTS
 I It was obvious around the war de- I partment that there are other ele- ments in the airplane supply situa- 1 ton that it is regarded sts unwise to reveal Mir Baker specifically refused to sanction discussion as to these. 1 There are certain considerations, 1t was pointed out by some officers. none of whom claimed to have actual knowl- front. which to their minds made it l tho more surprising that a complete I lack of adequate air patrols should ex- ist there. In the first place General I Pershing was fully advised as to all
 matters regarding the American air service and the degree to which lie
 could rely upon it when he decided 10
 put the forces into the line.
 PERSHING SHOULD KNOW l Also--and great stress was laid oli | this--he has been working in complete cooperation with the French govern mcnt in getting his men to the front. 1 So far as known, the particular sec 1 tion of the line held by the Americans
 was fully patrolled by allied airmen.
 presumably French, before it was | taken over. If General Pershing re- gards the situation in the air as in any way a menace to his troops, it
 was suggested, it seemed certain be would call upon the French for pa 1 trols.
 1 Mir. Baker would not indicate wheth- l CT he intended to call the matter to General Pershing's attention. If he did so, 1t would be departure from his usual custom. The war department assumes that the commander of the ex-
 peditionary forces will advise it promptly if anything arises of sc- l rious nature in which it's aid is need-
 ed. Otherwise. the forwarding of men, airplanes, supplies of all sorts goes ahead on regular schedule of prior ity provided by General Pershing and | as they becomesavailable for shipment and ships are available to carry them.
 SPORT OF AIRPLANE NEED With the American Army in France. ! February 2o.-(Bys the Assocated Press)
 Control of the air in the American sec ior belongs to the enemy. Any officer at the front win make this declara- : tion-all have made it. The control is
 obvious. German airplanes come and go
 over the American lines almost at .wili. Every time the Germans come over
 their path the skyline is bespecked by fleecy shrapnei puffs. but the chances
 of hitting an airplane with anti-aircrart
 shells is so remote that the enemy ay1a-
 tors calmly fly along as if on a pleasure
 tour Every now and then airplanes on I this side attack the enemy. when they
 get chance to pump shrapnel. But
 the Boche is clever while flying and I manages to elude it and comes over and takes pictures, takes observations, and uO virtually WndteteT tlSc uc OcSlfcs
 and then calmly sails home without in-
 terruption. Nearly always he is at an
 altitude of about 5000 metres where he
 is comparatively safe from anti-air-
 craft fire and knows it.
 So free and unrestricted are the Ger man airmen that in some towns the com lmands are under strict orders to disap- pear under cover the moment German airplane is sighted. Moreover, officers lsay. more and more German planes are appearing in the sky and in various lquarters there is a growing belief tha: these are the first of the machines
 which the Germans have been building ;feverishly to offset the large number oi
 expected American airplanes in accord
 ance with plans announced in the United i States.
 Whether this belief is true or not the fact remains that the American troops Iare holding the sector and are endan Igered daily because there are no Amer Iican airplanes with them. The ques Ition most asked from one end of thu American front to the other Ia:
 When Are some American planes com
 ing over?''