New-York tribune., 1918-07-10
By Wilbur Forre..
Especial Cable to Tho Tr;b,r,,

NUotc 70 Inc Trtbur0)
,copynshs. 1913. by The Tribune Association,
With IHE FRENCH ARMIES, July
s'-Ihc extreme Importance Of sausage
oailoon work in open warfare, where
nlgnly trained observers often remain
aloft over the battlefield as many as
sixteen hours at stretch in t1imsy
basket with their lives literally in their
hands, caused The Tribune correspond.
ent to investigate this unique arm Of
the service to-day at an altitude of
about 2,40O feet.
The sausage arm of the service is a
branch where there Is little glory and
much danger, because Of the constant
exposure to German airmen's attacks.
as we'll as gruolling work, because your
eye must be alert as an eagles, no mat
ter how long aloft.
The enemy's trenches and organiza-
tions for miles in the rear must be con-
stantly combed for any untoward move
ment- Your own guns must be told
where their shells are breaking.
Dozens of other things are required
which are too technical for explanation
here, and all this time you sit there be-
tween heaven and earth with a. para.
cnute strapped to your arms and legs,
ready to jump into space if necessary.
The Tribune correspondent assembled
with French lieutenant, who ex-
planned the work while aloft, and
though the scene was an instruction
centre some distance from the actual
war. it was near enough to warrant CON
stantly manned machine guns on the
ground waiting for any rowing Boche
Sausage War Declared
Captured German aviation documents
IN the last few weeks have shown the
! Importance which the enemy attaches
TO the destruction of the eapie-eyed
gas bags which sit quietly in the upper
VOID spotting his every movement.
=, There is sausage war on between
the combatants, which mems that .
large percentage of the sausaoes
ascending on both sides come down
IN flames. The observers stake thei,
lives on the fimsy, umbrella-l;ke
parachutes which always hang al'ne com.
pactly on the outside Of the wicke,
nacelle in shape like canvas wate,
bucket.
The enemy airmcn are ordered not
only to destroy the sausage, but to
kill the observers in midair. Before
Germany began her last attacks there
were ethics in sausage warfare. In
variably if the observer were luck,
enough to escape death in the sheer
sixty-yard drop before the parachute
F. opened, he was allowed to sail safely
toward the earth, naturally taking his
chances with the wind drifting him
over the enemys lines or in contact
with trees or other distractions or
landing.
But to-day the enemy is attacking
the sausages in groups of four or five
alrplanes, one Of which is ordered to
bullets if the parachute opens.
Carbines for Protection
Though it was perhaps unnecessary
this fact explains the small carbine
resting in the nacelle rs the lieutenant
I and myself were strapped into harness
and attached to the parachutes pre-
paratory to ascending
The carbine serves as the only pro-
lection as the parachute drops earth
ward. The nace'le also contained q
map of the surrounding country, q
telephone, an altimeter, binoculars
and other instruments used in scien-
tific calculation during the hours
aloft.
"Ready?" asked the lieutenant.
"Yes," I replied, but entirely with
out enthusiasm. When you have
screwed up your nerves to go up in
a sausage balloon you have visualized
all the dangers in advance-Boches,
sudden storms, sea sickness. heart
failure, an insane desire to jump out,