Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1919-04-09
DEBORAH
BOY IN FRANCE
Orville II. TOmann, Formerly Of De-
cOrah, Writes His Uncle, A. F.
Schild, of Lincoln Twp.
Interesting Letter
is IN SIGNAL
CORP OF ARMY
Work of Corps Very Important and
His Description Proves Very In
teresting


former DEBORAH boy, written to his
uncle of Lincoln township. Orville
was a former student of the De-
corah public schools. Later he went
to Ellsworth, Wis. where he gradu-
ated from the high school. After
wards he attended the Dodge Radio
Institute at University of Wisconsin
and also the Signal Corps Radio
School at Washington, D. c.
In response to numerous requests
for a few words regarding the work
of the Signal Corps, particularly
that which concerns Radio develop
ment in relation to the Air Service
and the Signal Corps proper, shall
endeavor to give brief sketch con-
corning the more important accom-
plishments.
I'm this connection l aim to re-
view only the more important fea-
lures developed up to the date OF the
armistice, Nov. II, 1918.
This has not only been a war OF
endurance of physical supremacy,
but also brains, wits, ingenuity,
science and engineering. The non
valuable factor in warfare is I'M
questionably the physical strength
of the individual combatant. Its
military value however, was con-
siderably below par.
In order to attain military SUI
premacy, weapons, science and
engineering must be developed and
united with the complaint forces
TO increase their military value.
The problem of securing trained
men for the forces of the United
States was solved by turning about
five hundred American Universities
colleges, scientific and technical
schools into machine for the pro-
duction of trained men; trained for
the part they were to take in the
great undertaking.
The outstanding factor, which will
make a brilliant page in American
history, is the success of the Air Ser;
vice program. The beginning of the
war found the army with but a few
planes. There were no great aero
plane corporations engaged in turn
ing out hundreds of planes per day.
No one has had years of experience
in the design or manufacture or
aeroplanes, and few designers and
engineers make a number so small
as to be almost negligible.
However, over 1000 planes were
in training service, over 10000
Liberty motors were produced dur
ing the calendar year of 1918, and
over 10000 were on order on Nov.
II, 1918.
Although produced under much
adverse criticism, some of which was
based on just facts, the tremendous
success of the Liberty motor is now
acknowledged, and today, is the
standard of the world in aeroplane
motors.
Hand in hand with the develop
ment of the Liberty motor comes the
development Of Radio communica-
ton. The gigantic advance made
during the last eighteen or nineteen
months would have covered period
of fifteen or twenty years under nor
NAL conditions.
The principal factor in the sue
cess of Radio developments was the
development of the vacuum tube,
or thermionic tube, which operates
on the principal Of the Edison ef-
feet" and brings into consideration
the electron theory. This tube serves
as a detector of radio signals and
also as a transmitter. The great sue
cess Of the Radio-telephone is direct
" dependent on this tube. Speech
has been transmitted from France to
Washington, and from Washington
to Honolulu.
In this connection, an aeroplane
set was developed,
which has provided inter-communi-
cation between aeroplanes fifteen to
twenty-five miles distant. Those who
have heard the roar of the powerful
Liberty motor will see at once the
great success, accorded almost en-
tirely by the design and construct
ion of the transmitter, especially as
no interference is noticeable. Thus
the commander of an Aero Squadron
directs by voice commands. Previous
to the outbreak of the war, little
was said concerning Radio telephony,
although a number of experiments
had been successfully conducted
prior to this date.
Along with the developments in
Radio telegraphy since April, l9l7'
was a Radio telegraph set, providing
between airplane and
ground stations. A number of con-
1aVal0nln