Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1918-01-16
,rrom the Literary DigesU

The decisive battle OF the war will |
be fought above the heads OF the |
poilus." and is due on "a coming |
spring day" 4 few months hence, in
the opinion OF member OF the French /
rhampcr OF deputies. whose words are
published in the Paris Matin. II Is
the French and British belief that Ger
many has taken to heart her bitter
lesson OF aerial inleriorty and has
built huge navy OF aircraft to win
back the supremacy OF the blue. Says
the French deputy:
The undecided struggle, waged for
three years on land. will have its con
Clusion in celestial battle in which
not only the combatiye energy OF Ger.
many and France. but their whole vi
tai machinery. will be face to face.
What form will the battle take?
Either spring will see immense
strategic ofGcnsiycs. with aviation pre-.
poudcrating, or the war. becoming
crystalizcd on land. will be transform
ed into aerial warfare against towns.
factories. railways and supply dcpots
constituting the basis of life behind
the armies.
Too much cannot be said regarding
the great effort necessary for aviation
at the present moment II benefit IL to
be rcapcd in the decisive days coming.
Fine weather in Germany surely will
bring against US air forces from the
eastern front three months hence.
over the heads OF the pOilus there
undoubtedly will be fought the Anal
BATH" OF the war. on such an issue
France must stake everything. 1t is
on coming spring day that the d"ci.
sIyc battle will be fought"
After reading the above forecast Of
what We are to expect, a backward
glance at what Germany has accom-
plshcd IN the past year and OF the
man who directed the work Is given
in the following quotation from Tie
Acroplane OF London, which secured
the article from a press correspond
cnl With the French armies. He
writes:
when the battle of the SOmm2 had
spent itself In th. irud and mis-. a year
ago. the Gcrman+. realizing how mar
rowly they had escape decisive defeat
held a careful inquiry into IN" causes
of their unexpected weakness. The ex
PLANTATION that came from the stats o
the armies on the Sommc was that thu
main reason for the superiority of th'
allies was the hopeless infcriority o
the German air service.
THE British and French guns wcr
guided, the German guns were not
The rest followed logically. From tn
moment when this fact was rccognizc'
dates the great German effort to r.
cover the ascendcnCy in the air.
"In November, 1916. the whole ali
power of the German army was unite
under the command OF a single chile
General Won lIocppnor, cavalryma'
young for his rank. who had serve
through the Somme battle as chief I
stan OF General Won Buclow's arm!
General Won Hocppncr left the Somm
fully convinced that tho allies owe
thcir success to their superiority
tho air, and nc set TO work instant
to redress the balance. II Is to Il
energy and lnvCntivCncss Of this of
Ger that tho Germans owe the recover
Of their air service that we have VI
n"RHcd This year. We have to thar
him for the Gothas. for the bombir
raids over England and behind q
front in France. for the constant n
p"arancc of new types Of machines nj
new methods OF attack.
General Won IToeppnm has Il
powers and tho full support Of
military chiefs and of the kaiser. r
con ttruction rs we'll as the strategic
and tactical employment, of tho @
man air squadrons are under his {
solutc control.
Under the kaiser he is dictator
tho air. and as he has the need
force OF viii, as well rs the authorl
to carry through sweeping chang
we need not wonder II new !