The Jasper news. [volume] (Jasper, Missouri) 1898-1924, 1918-02-21


lily watching from great observation
balloons. Just behind the allied front,
takes notice Of 1t.
Every movement, every activity Is
registered until schedule Of the usu-
al enemy routine Is built up and the
average amount of motion known.
Any departure from this schedule is
suspicious, writes captain in the avn
alton corps in the New York Sun. A
train running late or with more cars
than usual, men in the trenches being
relieved too frequently, new roads or
emplacements being built too earnest
", give the first hint that Fritz across
the line, Is up to something.
A keen balloonist notes any of these
changes, and at once telephones down
to the ground: IAN extra train Of six
cars passed - at 10:40." Half
mile farther down the line another
pair Of eyes reports: Large convoy
moving up to front, range so and So"
Still little farther down another
suspicious circumstance is noted, I'M
til the general staff down below, as
sembling all these straws, foresees the
beginning Of big offensive across the
line. COunter-measures are taken, bat
teries directed, conveys and trenches
smashed up, and the enemy's plans
thrown askew.
Possibly, however, the offensive is
The observer ascends with full knowl-
edge Of all the details of action, en-
boldened, probably, to move up much
nearer the German lines than usual
d In the belief that the enemy's artillery
will be driven Off.
The opening bombardment is time
of ceaseless and vital work, spotting
shot by shot, watching for new enemy
batteries to open up, moving the bar
rage fire back and forth with the ad-
vance of the troops. Any error here
may send the steel wall into the OBJ
servers own troops or cost scores Of
lives later by failure to make COM
plete demolition of the enemy's de-
Tense. .r.
Work Of Vital Importance.
Hostile airplane overhead" is apt
TO break in through the telephone wire
at any moment.
A German aviator more adventur-
GUS than his fellows is swoOping down,
perhaps under a protecting cloud, In
an attempt to put out the ever-watch-
full eyes. The observer makes ready
his parachute, the machine guns on
the ground below click off rain Of
lead at the invader, and the windlass
men start bringing the big envelope
to ground with all possible speed
Perhaps the invader is driven Off /;
perhaps the balloon is set afire and
the balloonist forced to parachute to
the ground. In either case 1t is all a
part of the days work which adds adj
venture and romance to the RESPONSE
Bile work done by the balloonist.
Such Is briefly-very briefiy-the
duty and work of the balloon observer.
Calm, patient, ever watchful he rides
far above the ground as the great en-
velope sways on its cable.
The balloon service abroad had been
carefully II modestly developed for
military purposes, and the moment
that the war settled into the trenches
came into Its own because 1t was at
once discovered. that work could he
done with them which could be done
In no other way.
Balloon observation began to as
sumo vital Importance, until now
hardly mile of the front lines is
without Its big. clumsy envelope. A
constant, ceaseless vigil Is maintained
over every move of the enemy. over
every shell fired by either side, 80 that
friends below may be saved from sur.
prise and enemies across the lines may
S feel the weight Of every shell hurled
& at them.
The United States is building up
such force literally from nothing
Last November the old field out West
was overgrown with weeds, the gas
reservoir out of repair, the whole
place stagnant. In the last few
months, however, the field has beer
cleared and brought back to activity
the air once again is filed with big
friendly balloons, and keen-faced mer
are being trained for immediate serv
ice abroad. Already the first Ameri
can detachments are In France, the
vanguard Of a large American balloon
force which ultimately will be as com
plete as any other branch Of the army
Duties Of Observers.
easa a