The Washington herald., 1918-08-23

In connection with the report of the Senate Com
nittee on Military Affairs on the aircraft "hzzle"-
which preponderantly is a summary of past mis-
takes, most of which are acknowledged, and in no
way challenges the future-it is interesting to read
a dispatch which came from<the American front in
France yesterday.
1t is interesting because it shows the immense
possibilities of American quantity production
which, after all, is something which the Europeans
have not even touched upon attempted, despite
all their remarkable development of the plane in
war.
1t is interesting because it asserts that even if
America should not contribute single fighting or
combat plane to the war, it could go far toward
winning it by placing 5000 bombing planes on the
front by next all-and there is every prospect that
we will do far better than that
1t is interesting because it shows that the much
discussed de Haviiand Four, which, although it may
not be the ideal machine which all aeronautc ex-
perts striving for is worth very great deal to
the fighters abroad, and that the they can get
of them the better.
Here is the dispatch of Edwin L. James to the
New York Times regarding aircraft:
at is to be doubted if anything could have caused
more satisfaction throughout our army than the
announcement that the first American-made air
planes were doing duty at the front.
Many discouragng delays and dscomfting
stories from the United States about our air pro-
gram have caused a certain spirit of apathy and
doubt, not only among aviators, but in the in
fantry and artillery well-a of feeling that
America was never going to produce any airplanes
on the front lines. Our soldiers had seen Germany
and our allies increase their air strength and had
realized the growing importance of air work. while
all the time American airplanes seemed only a
myth, our trained aviators having waited long in
vain for machines.
Had 1,I1 tbo -. l.
spare, but because of the large number of airmen
that left most OF them on the ground. For the
hrst sixteen months were in the war we placed
no airplanes the front, and it impossible for
our allies to supply our large needs in compre-
hensive way because of their requirements We
have had squadrons at work for months with
French machines. but could have had ten times
as many men in the air had the machines been
here.
But now comes the refreshing promise that all
this is to be changed American airplanes-Amer-
lean from tip tp-are here at the front and that
brings belief in the official statement that many
more are coming, and that at last America is to be
. bis factor in the air.
No air work appeals to Americans as that
of the Chasse machines, which are essential to pro-
tectng observation machines and keeping Boche
fliers beyond our line, but feel strong in the pre-
diction that America is to make bombing the big
BeSt war WORK between the work OF the ShaSSe
wasp and the heavy bombing machine, there is the
difference between machine gun and a heavy can
non. 1t is the machine gunner who can bravely
stand off the enemy close at hand, but it is the
gunner of the big field piece who send destruc-
ton and fear far back into the enemy's lines.
"Air bombers in thousands from America can
do wonders toward early victory. One who has
seen much of the work of the German bombers in
the last few weeks almost shudders to think of the
havoc that could be done by flight of 1000 Amer
lean bombers back of the Hun lines.
81 believe it is safe to say that 1000 bombing
machines could have turned the tide of any big bat
tie in the English and French bombers have
already done such work as to make the Germans
begin to squeal and certainly it is telling no secret
to the Boche to say that they have had nothing
like 5000 bombing planes at their disposal Let
France supply the Chase machines if she is best
fitted for it Let America supply the bombing ma
chimes"