Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-11-08
''IT''

kAfERlMENTS with the self proncIled
- aerial torpedo, which now is said TO have
D"ch perfected by engineers of the Army
ana Navy Aviation Service, began early in
'he war and were pressed with frantic
energy Dy armament experts Of all the
beIIig"rcnt Powers 1t was pretty generally
admitted that the nation which was first in
the field with this terrible device would be
able to bring its antagonists almost instantly
to their knees
llmc and again IL was reported Mt the
various heaoqrarters that "It' had been
completed by enemy Powers and more than
one allied commander and innumerable
allied statesmen felt, when the rumor
reached them, rs if the ground had fallen
from beneath their feet
ihe truth was that, though the exppri-
mcnters behind all the lines knew that they
We're almost within reach of n method that
could be depended on to give victory to their
own forces. they were unable to finish their
work before the war ended. When the first
long distance shells fell in Paris It was sup
posed Tor few hours that TT had ar
rived. Talk of at" was everywhere in
every grand headquarters. Every ranking
ohlcer knew that the Power that controlled
IT could upset all the calculations of
routine warfare.
The torpedo which the American experts
nave perfected is nothing more than an air
plane without pilot and steered from the
ground by radio. 1t Will carry some thou
sands of pounds of INT or gas shells and
it is intended TO be dropped into II city C
IN the midst of n fleet of war vessels.
IT was demonstrated long ago that ships
at sea may be operated and maneuvered by
wireless. The application Of this principle
to airpianPs will not astonsh any one who
happens to know anything about the newer
development of war mechansms.
What the news of the nerinl torpedo will
mean to the world at large-it is not news
to military mems that in future wars
there will be no front With the perfec-
tion Of this device the time has passed
when civilians may live in more or less
comfort and safety at home. while the
brunt of battle falls on troops or ships many
miles away. War in its most awful form
will be carried to cities as 1t was carried to
Paris by the Germans.
The evil Of war seems to be spreading like
a curse. and there is suggestion Of the law
OF compensation in the prospect of n method
that will bring ii to the doors of people who
arc accustomed to a lazy tolerance of the
processes which make international conflict
inevitable.
1t Is not to be supposed that the United
states has or will have a monopoly Of aerial
torpcdoCs. The principles utilized in the
invention are familiar to the technicians of
all nations. There can be no doubt that
they are being utilized in every country
where armament is being developed for
future emergencies
What naval men may do to protect their
ships and what the army engineers will do
to protect their armies will not matter go
greatly as what Governments will do to pro-
tect the great cities menaCCd by implication
in the mere announcement Of an engine of
devastation that may be launched into the
air and dropped with its terrible cargo on
targets hundred miles distant
What would such a torpedo do to Lower
New York, to Philadelphia, to London or
to Paris?
How long can civilization last while It
continues to attack itself with such
weapons?
The news Of 'It's" perfection ought GER
tninly to have a stimulating effect not only
on the Conference for the Limitation Of
Armaments, but upon the easy going public
which will have to make its wishes def :
nitely known and felt if such conferences
are ever to accomplish anything worth while