Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1919-01-09
WILLIAM A. WILLIS
in the New York Herald.

yelopment and perfection of the wire
less telephone, is no longer secret.
Eight years of work by wizards OF SCI
ence in the United States army, alded
by civilian workers in radio problems,
came to successful consummation last
February. Since that time American
airplanes here and in Europe have
been equipped with apparatus which
has made vocal communication be-
tween them while flying, as well as
communication with the earth, SIM
pie matter.
The secret has been well kept for
many months. Outside Of members OF
the air service few have known 1t.
Those few lave maintained absolute
silence. The war department has re-
garded the solution Of the problem OF
what now is called "voice command
flying" as one Of the greatest and most
important achievements of the age
Its value in war was so tremendous
that extraordinary precautions were
taken to prevent the slightest inkllng
of the development reached from leak
ing out.
Germans Had Only a Hint.
German aviators knew that the
American flying men had some ad-
vanced method Of communication but
did not know exactly what 1t was.
The French and British flying forces
have dabbled with the wireless tele.
phone in connection with airplanes for
some time, the British meeting with
some success. 1t remained, however,
for men of the American air service
to perfect the radiOphone. This they
have done.
The writer is the first civilian out
side of Newton d. Baker, secretary OF
war; Mr.. John D. Ryan, director of
aircraft production, and one or two
other highly placed government Off
cials to observe this latest of great
American inventions tried out. 1t was
on receipt of word from Mineoa that
the hardest tests the new wireless
telephone had ever been put to had
failed to impair its complete efficiency
that Mr.. Ryan in Washington made
public the first news ever given out
of the new discovery.
These tests were made at Hazel
hurst and Roosevelt fields, near Min.
cola, under the personal direction of
Mai. Gen. William l.. Kenly, chief of
the division Of military aeronautics,
who came over from Washington for
the specific purpose Of finding out II
there was any feat In aviation that
could break down the voice conn
Iuand" system Of communications.
When he quit after an afternoon OF
hair-raising stunts with every kind of
aircraft from the slow training planes
to those swift eagles Of the air the
De Havilands, he expressed himself
as completely satisfied that the wire.
less telephone as part of airplane
equipment has come to stay and Is In
shape to meet almost any situation
short of an actual smashup.
No Need for Further Secrecy.
The ending of the war has made
further secrecy in connection with this
amazing invention unnecessary, In
the opinion of Mr.. Ryan and General
Kenly. There are certain secrets in
connection with the apparatus used
that naturally will not be revealed
But the principles involved were made
clear without reserve by Col. Clarence
G. Culver of the aviation corps, the
man who has led the work of perfect
ing the wireless telephone and who Is
credited by scientists with the major
part of the credit for its success.
Those who have seen airplanes in
battle formation many thousands OF
feet in the air have perhaps wondered
how at given moment they have all
turned or looped or dived as one ma.
chine, maintaining the precision al
most of West Point cadets on dress
parade. The answer Is that each man
has telephone receiver fastened IN
his helmet through which he has re-
ceived the order of the squadron COM
mander as clearly and audfbly as IL
he was eu infantryman on the ground
being addressed by his company cap
tain. The roar of the motor and the
whir of the propellers have no effect
whatever on his power of clear trans
rais,ion or on the ability of his men
to receive his words.
The tremendous value of the inven
tion which Colonel Culver and those
associated with him have brought to
reflection, is not easily understand
able by civilians. But through its op-
yla;ions it Is now possible to send
students into the air alone and d.
rect their daily drill from the ground
thus eliminating the necessity of en-
langering experienced pilots, who, as
instructors, have hitherto been obliged
to 60 up in the air with their pupils.
1t ulso is now possible to train avia-
tors in advanced flying, the instructor
on the ground being able to see the
work of his student and instantly cor.
rect his faults. In training and di.
rectlng pilot gunners and bombing
pilots the wireless telephone also is
of inestimable value.
The tests of the new invention were
conducted In the presence of General
Kenly, Colonel Culver, Col. Millard #.
Harmon, Jr, commander of the first
Provisional wing; Maj. Ralph Cousins
commander of Roosevelt field; George
Il nd hn xxyy~it