The evening herald., 1918-03-19
BAKER WITNESSES
WORK BEING DONE
BY j. S. AV|ATORS
Secretary of War Is Given a Prac.
tical Demonstration of Progress
Being Made by American Air
men Training in France.

ON Board Secretary Bakers Special
Train in France saturday Marcn
rs. DELAYED Newton y. Baker IA"
American secretary of war is making
important decisions .u France upon
such questions as in his Judgment re
quire immediate action. fIe is gather
ing knowledge for futur" usc upon
many aspects of the situation of IN"
American army but problems press
Ing for settlement he solves on the
spot
Thus today On the headquarters ~
one uf the American aviation Centers
Secretary Bakcr inquired if all nf the
host Of aviators sent first from Amer
lea were first 60 complete their train
ing In France aud II an OF them had
been commissioned The chief OF awe
alton told the secretary that all ut
them had not yet. because "f reasons
which he explained had chance 'o|
take their final training
The secretary went into the subject.
lie directed at the conclusion OF the
inquiry with General pershing' ap-
proval. that aviators so delayed should
have their commissions when they
were ready FOR them, dated dag
ahead ~ those issued iu America to
men who had entered the ~crvtC" Ia
ter. because thcs, men had right %
their priority.
Hundred Planes In Nir.
When tho sccrctury's ,r,un cam" iu-
90 the aviation region the Sky was
darkly overcast ana the clouds were
Of a blue gray color. which the aY!a-
tiou observers say, constitutes the
finest background for seeing air work.
t..Iu
ed the secretary's arrival upon the
field. then with a rush one after an
other took the air. uutil toward the
cnJ Of the morning hundred ma
chimes were in flight and every ma
chine was driven by an American, ln-
diyidual ayIators practced maneuNers
used IN combat. such as reversing the
direction of the flight 10y turning edge
wise upon one wins. spinning M nose
dives. Then there were evolutlous in
uuuIu formation OF hNcs, after ihti
IA squddrons Of fifteen.
with all these machines In the air
remarked a French officer we sec
no more than a tenth OF what America
has lh this one school. You Viii soon
have no more need Tor French m
structlun. We have shown every Trims
We know, and your young men haze
| lakcu 70 the ant with astonishing IA
,llity, us we'll as tudaCity, nerve ddd
resource. The danger ana difficulties
iasciutc and inspire them. j thnN Il
must be what yuu cal 1.-THE .poriinS
/ spnit'
Yes" said one Of AIR. Baker par
IS. $50 many OF these men are direct
from our colleges and uuINersitiea'
They are football aud baseball play
crs.
SECRETARY Talks Win Men.
Secretary Baker discussed with va
rious OF tho avi'ltors themselves tho
differences between tho machines. lite
brought to the subject much know
ledge OF detail and UNMARRIED interest
lie spent hours talking with the men
| and examining with the mthe types
| of machines. some Of which he saw
| for the first time.
The closing Incident Of the morn
| ing's air training was combat ana
| the escape Of one plane when attack
ed, The secretary watched with IN
| tense interest. lie then visited the
| machine shops and setting up shops
| and the storage buildings. lie had eN-
| planned to him the school urganizl-
tions, which include eight classes each
\ with a separate camp. sharp sport
| ing rivalries exist among them.
| 81 Patricks Day was celebrated by
six games OF baseball among the
| twelve league clubs. The Young Meu's
| Christian association and Red Cross
have restaurants and club rooms IN
the aviation aroma, both admirably
managed.
The party left with the conviction
! that Americas aviation effort is al
ready powerful one, that IL combines
the best to be found In the Frencn
and British service. in addition 20
American developments and that an
organization has been created capable
of schooling finely tempered air hIt-
! talions Tho aviation school IN ques-
| tion has reached 9, per cent Of lts eN-
| pected efficiency Graduating classes
| are turned out with steady regularity
{ because Of the spc"d with which 'h"
! students reach the level of competent
I armeu bat .his depends. of course,
| upon tho amount uf flyiug which hn1
been uncomwouly abundant THIS
! spring
q