Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1919-06-19
USE AIRPLANES ]
TO FIGHT BANDITS
Machine Gun Method of Warfare
Being Tried in Santo
Domingo.
LATEST STUNT OF Marines
Distinct Surprise to Macoris Gang OF
400 Outlaws Hiding In inaccessible
Parts of lsIand-Frequent
Bush Fighting.

New York.-Hunting bandits with
machine guns in airplanes Is the latest
stunt of the United States marine
corps. 1t is said to be distinct sur
prise to the Macoris gang of 400 out
laws hiding in inaccessible parts OF
the San Pedro MacoriS district of Sam
to Domingo.
News of the adoption of this upto-
the-minute method of discouraging rev.
outiOn and pillage in the turbulent re-
public came in private advices from
Porto Rico, where, it Is said, the out
laws obtained their arms and aminu-
milton. At marine headquarters here
there is no knowledge of how effective
well-directed guntire from the soaring
planes has been, but report from
Colonel breckenridge. in command OF
one of the companies on the island. in
dicates that the latest crop of jungle
buccaneers will soon be harvested. lie
wrote to thank the originator OF the
idea which, he said, was proving in
valuable, and added: "Send down
some more airplaneS."
There are now 10 flying machines
with the marine corps in Santo Do
mingo and Hayti. These forces con-
sist Of the First brigade. of 1,5OO men,
under General Catlin, at Port au
Prince, and the Second brigade, OF
1000 men, under General Fuller, at
San Domingo City. Attached to these
forces is the Fourth aviation squadron,
under Captain Mimms, of 300 men, d.
vided into two divisions.
Frequent Bush Fighting.
The one in Hayri has seven hydro
planes and the other in Santo Domn-
90 has six machines. In both coun-
tries there is q very bad situation, with
constant outbreaks of revolution and
outlawry. No regular battle has taken
place since the arrival of the marines,
but there has been frequent bush fight
ing. with the marines the first and the
last to fight.
An idea of what the marines are
facing and how thoroughly they are
preparing to do their job is given in
an article in the Times of San Juan,
Porto Rico, Of recent date, under the
headline, "Airplanes to Smash New
Band of Bandits" 1t says:
According to reliable reports the
latest band Of bandits in Santo Do
mingo numbers about 400 young and
active men, and they are we'll armed
and have plenty of ammunition. The
haunt of the gang is in the San Pedro
Macoris district, and while they adopt
the old profession of being revolution
lists they are proving to be as ready
for murder and pllage as their pro
totypes who are gone. There has been
nothing like pitched battle with the
outlaws as yet, but marine officers hav-
ing commands in the district are ex-
pecfing serious trouble at any time. 1t
has been authenticity stated that
squadron of five or six airplanes with
q force of 35 trained pilots and me-
chanics has recently been landed on
the island and is being modified at
the Consuelo sugar estate in the San
Pedro Macoris district, where wide
cleared area and level plains make the
ground ideal for the building of air.
dromes and the maneuvering of the
machines.
Expected to Check LawIessness.
although no official information has
been given out, it Is currently report
ed that the airplanes, when put in
proper shape, will be armed with ma.
chine guns and will play conspicu.
Gus part in the hunting out of the
bandits lurking in the jungles and In
properly cleaning them up. With the
leathernecks afoot and the air full Of
'humming birds there does not seem
to be much hope for the would-be bad
men, and the fertile plains of San Do
mingo may soon be made safe for hon.
est men,"
News from other sources Is to the
effect that several fights have been
made over the territory to which the
gang has been driven for concealment,
with the result that concealment was
Immediately made doubly sure in the
tall grass and timber, to escape from
the rain of bullets from the skies.
What execution was done is not known
here.