Evening star., 1919-02-11
PREDICTS FLIGHTS
ACROSSATlANT|C
AirpIanes Have Big Future in
War and Commerce, Capt.
Rickenbacker Says.
ACE PRAISES D0UGHB0YS

-A-i bAethSS VIII Ag dticcr tiC <fNAoAseN
within the next six months as easily as
they now cover the distance between
New York and the National Capital. ac-
cording to Capt Edward Victor Ricken-
hacker. Americas most famous ace. who
is in the city until Sunday. having but
recently landed in New York.
Capt Rickenbacker is the guest of
Representative clifford ireland OF Hi
nois. After making report to the War
Department on flying as he knows it.
Capt. Rickenbacker viii return to his
home in Columbus. Ohio.
Downed 20 Hun Planes.
With twenty-six German planes off,
cially to his credit. the American ace
firmly believes in the future of the air.
plane. although he plans himself to leave
the flying game for good. At least. that
is the way he feels about il now.
Not only will planes fly across the At
lantic. but they will dominate military
operations of the future. Capt. Ricken-
backer believes. THE ground forces and
the Navy are absolutely no good without
the eyes Of the service he declared
emphatically. I'm the future the air
service should lead. since the Army can
not work alone any more"
Sees Commercial Future.
The commercial future of the, plane
is also assured, Capt. Rfckenbacker
believes. since it annihilates time and
space. The Zeppelin type of aircraft
however, he believes the logical con-
veyance for commercial work.
The Yep will be the truck Of the
air the plane the fast racer" he said.
As for airplane racing. Capt. Eddie"
Rickanhacxar whnSa
known throughout the automobile
racing world before he enlisted, sees
little to the idea There would be
no fascination to airplane racing
nothing with which the ayiators
could compare themselves, and thus
secure the realization of speed, the
charm OF ground racing.
real heroes of the war. Capt Ricken-
hacker says. The man in the air
doesn't know how safe he is. and
what a wonderful life he lives in
comparison to the poor old dough-
boys. When I needed couraee-and
/ needed il often-I would go out to
visit a friend in his dugout In the
drst line trenches When came
away from there l was satisfied that
had the best of it
No Mud Puddles; No Coolies.
10u see, SmlleQ the ace there
are no mud puddles in the air, nor NY
ing coolies, nor rats"
Rickenbacker was with Capt. James
Norman Hall, who also took a large
toll of German planes. when Hall was
captured by the Huns. During this
combat Rick" as he is familiarly
known. shot a boche aviator. whom
he saw fall on on a wing of the
stricken plane. This plane was. of
course, never credited to Rickenback-
er, although when Hall subsequently
was exchanged he declared the plane
was a square hit for Rickenbacker.
Aviators are often so busy fiBhting
that they cannot keep track Of what
they hit
THE organization of Germany was
a hollow she'll. There was nothing TO
back up the line with" Capt Ricken-
hacker said, when asked what caused
Germany's defeat. He confirmed sto-
ries to the effect that in Coblenx and
other Hun towns Gel man troops were
welcomed home, after the armistice
was signed, through Welcome to the
viclors.'' arches.
While here the ace is being be-.
siegcd by congressman who want him
to speak in their home towns, but so
far he has refused