The sun., 1918-10-19
OPEN AIR,ODSERVER
POSTS TO CIVILIANS
Military Officials to Form
Special Corps to Fill
Urgent Needs.
ACT AS EYES OF ARMY
Reports Cut Time of Prepare
tory Bombardment and
Troop Movements.
ACT AS EYES OF ARMY
Special Desposch to The Sun.


WAsHINeroN. Oct. IS. - Commenting
on the latest developments in the aero
nautical work at the front. Major Gen.
Kenly. director OF Military Aeronautics
announced that with the increase Of the
American army the demand for aerial
observers has grown so that It had been
decided to throw this branch Of aero
nautics open to civilian applicants as
well az to enlisted men.
Until now the observers have been
commissioned line officers, but the new
plan is to have q special corps open to
civilians. The observer IL not an aviator
and his business in the airplane Is vir-
tually that or the old fashioned scout
Gen. Kenly said that Gen. Pershing had
lately sent over urgent calls for more
observers and that every effort would be
made to send them. Already three bril-
gades have been formec.
Gen. Kenly said: these observers
are distinctly q development Of the
present war. Their Job has been made a
big and important feature in military
work. In previous wars Of any I'm
portanee leaders relied on the cavalry
and intelligence sections for news OF
what was going on inside the enemy
lines. To-day from the furthest points
In the cavalry and infantry advances
and even beyond and behind the enemys
lines to the artillery In our own rear and
back to headquarters the airplane and
balloon observers supply commanding
officers with this information.
How Information Is Obtained.
"our airmen get this information in
two ways, with the camera and by d.
rect personal observation. BY means OF
the camera Is produced the war map
for stan use, and by such maps are
shown all obstacles In the path OF the
advancing army. BY the observers per-
sonal reports we keep a running supply
of Information for the use of command
ing officers. This information covers the
location Of our advanced lines. the needs
of the commands at such points and the
location Of the enemy. II also helps d.
rect the artillery fire and regulates the
harrage.
Reports show that in recent actions
on the western front, the preparatory
bombardments. which formerly lasted
four and five days. are now completed in
less than that number of hours and that
the extensive troop movements, which
formerly took days to complete. are now
finished In relatively much quicker time
This IL due In large measure to the intel
ligent work Of our observers"
Work OF Air Service.
As showing what the air service has ac-
complished Gen. Kenly made public this
letter Just received from Gen. Persh,ng {:
please accept my sincere congrstu-
lations on the successful and very I'm
portant part taken by the air forces un-
der your command In the first offensive
of the First American Army. The, or
ganisstion and control Of the tremen-
dous concentration OF the air forces, in
GLIDING American. French. British and
Italian units. which has enabled the air
service OF the First Army to carry out
SO successfully its dangerous and impor-
tant mission, is as fine a tribute to you
personally as IN the courage and nerve
shown by your officers a signal proof
Of the high morale which permeates the
service under your command.
PLEASE convey to your command my
heartfelt appreciation OF their work. I
am proud Of you ALL"
WAsHrNGToN. Oct. 1S.---Lord Syden-
ham. British authority on Notifications,
In message received to-day by Major
Gen. Kenly. director of military aero
nautics. says:
Impress upon your people that TO-
600 airplanes at this juncture are worth
more than 100000 troops on the ground
and will not require nearly SO much
transport We can bring Germany to
terms by air force that IA certain