Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-07-23
WlNCLESS AMERICA

TN MORE ways than one the successful
i bombing of the German dreadnought
Ostfresland by fiers from the army base at
Langley Field was an impressive and mem
orable spectacle. No one in the army or
the navy knew what airplanes could do to
lighting ship of the first class.
1t was pretty generally supposed that
aviators would be unable TO drop heavy
bombs from a safe altitude on ships deck |:
that even If they could do this, the enormous
walls of steel in bulwarks and protective
decks would continue to protect the ships
vitals and its crew. But the Ostfriesland,
one OF the most powerfully constructed ships
ever built, was sunk by bombs dropped de-
liberately in the water at close quarters.
Its hull was ripped and torn. Never before
was war game played out TO so dramatic
an end.
The view of naval men was reflected in the
presence OF the great battleship Pennsyl-
vania. which loafed in the background to
give the army fiers a chance TO show what
they couldn't do before she opened her big
guns to send the vast steel hulk of the
target to the bottom.
News from the fleet revealed Brigadler
General William 8. Mitchell, who directed
the attack, riding a scout plane through the
clearing smoke. gesticuating wildly and in
triumph half mile I'm the air as the big
ship went down and shouting to the naval
officers below some cry of cxultatiOn that
couldn't be heard before he and his men
vanished on the wings that they believe will
yet dominate the world. What did he say?
Was he telling the navy that its day was
over, that ships would never again decide
a great war?
Mitchell is an enthusiast. He is the
man who told Secretary Daniels that he
would stop any fleet that the navy could
send out" Mr.. Daniels answered that he
would be glad to stand and fold his arms
on battleship's deck and permit the army
planes to blaze away from the air--if they
could live long enough in the storm Of anti
aircraft fire to drop a bomb.
The Ostfriesland didn't fight back. 1t
was an abandoned and lonesome looking
hulk. But, even had It been fully armed
and on the defensive. It would have had little
chance for life against a few airmen who,
in an emergency, didn't care whether they
lived or died.
Battleships still will be built Their anti
aircraft batteries will be improved nightly
as result of the tests just completed. But
the enormous army and marine planes. with
their ability to carry and drop bombs weigh
ing a ton or more. must have amazed a
great many naval men.
1t is to be hoped that the Congressman
good glasses. For the development of mill
tary flying has been definitely halted in the
United States because of congressional mig
gardliness.
The air mail system provides the only
means we have for the consistent develop
ment of aviation. In Europe routes Of air
travel are becoming as numerous as rail-
ways, and passengers are carried on regular
schedules. There is daily airplane passenger
service across the English Channel from
London to Paris. and the French ore sue
cessfuy operating air expresses between
Paris and Warsaw. These passenger lines
and the intensive commercial use of the
airplane stimulate the development of avia-
tion in every foreign country, and what is
more. they keep small army of aviators
in constant training. Here we have not
yet completed primary system of mail
routes.
After reading of the news from off the
Virginia Capes. it is interesting to rcmcm-
Der that appropriations asked for the de-
= velopment Of military aviation were cut to
the bone and that airmen of both branches
of the service now work on the thinn"st sort
of shOestring.