Evening star., 1925-10-18
u. S. FLYERS USED
TO GIVE PUBLICITY
Services Accepted by France
to Let America Know
of Riff Situation.

NEW YORK. October 17-Details
have been established of the forma.
ton In Paris last July of the American
aviation unit now bombing the Riffians
In Morocco, whose activities We're
vigorously condemned yesterday by
United States Senators in the name
of humanity and national honor. and
by fellow aviators speaking for The
credit of their profession.
Various objections, mainly from the
French themselves, met the first pro
poSals OF the war-hunsry America ms
To the French government. In The
first place their military assistance
against the i,in Was hardly needed.
France has more and better trained
aNiotors OF her own today than any
power In the world. Moreover the
1tiffian army has no defense but rifles
against airpla The only mortality
among French and Spanish airmen
has come from snipers, who are par
ucuiarly expert in the Riftian army,
when the planes ny low.
Not Experienced Flyers.
Then too. the petitioners We're old
pilots, az airplanes go, long out of
practice. Most were 80 or over. None
war. Some had never been airmen al
all. Charles Sweeney, chief promoter
OF the project. was an infantry Off
Ger of the foreign legion during the
war. Reginald II. Weller, son of a
Methodist bishop Of Fond du Lac.
Wis, had been aide de camp To an
American infantry general.
d. II. McGibney. a Photographic ex-
pert, and DR.. James Y. Sparks, u
dentist, both of Indianapolis, were
described recently by Lieut. Col.
Charles w. kerwood. second in com
mand OF the unit. as without air e1
perience." Although both had been
aviators with creditable records dur:
ing the great war, A. G. Parker Of
Helena, Mont. had for seven years fol
lowed the profession of journalism in
New York. and Lansing &. Holden
New York City, had been an art
student in Paris.
As TO this propa ganda value as
crusaders for France, just how popu-
lar was the French war in the RIn
Would the American people. for in
stance, applaud their cOmpatrlutS
dropping bombs on a small army Of
North Africans without aircraft as
heartily as they had applauded the
sa me men when they flew against the
superbly equipped Germans? Any
way, was it d fortunate moment 10
pose the question? Soon NJ. CallauN
was to ask for easy terms in paying
French debts to America? Was il
prudent to remind the American
people that new and expensive
French war was in progress war
costing the French. according 10 Off
cial French figures, S506. 600 day"
The French officials debated these
questions. ii is known, for a long time.
Sweeney Won Point.
The issue was decided by the per
sistence of one man. Charles Sweeney.
native OF Spokane, Wash, emerged as
one whose love of France and desire
for adventure bowled over the better
Judgment of the French themselves.
Sweeney has been long oW of
America. He is the only American
who rose from a private to an officer 5
rank in the French Foreign Legion
during the great war. lie Is We'll
konwn in Paris as a brave soldier OF
fortune. frankly in love with war as
a game Sweeney converted 10 his
idea NJ. Franklin Bouillon, distln-
guished French official.
This official, now president Of the
foreign affairs commission Of the
French Chamber of Deputies. knew
the United States we'll in the existing
days of 1917 As French high com
missioner in Washington a [ that time
! he remembered an America lit with
/ enthusiasm for the war TO END war.
| With that America in mind and With
( out reckoning on any possible chanse
! in public opinion here, NJ. Franklin
! Rouillon approached the premier 20.
I France.
| Publicity Value.
! NJ Franklin Bouillon stated frank
| ly land in public later):
INV interest in acquiring the aid
! of the Americans is that they may
| inform their compatriots OF the exact
| conditions in Morocco. Conferences
! followed The Americans did not
want to enter the French army for
/ several wears or the Foreign Legion
| for q five-vear enlistment, as is re-
| uuired since the great war. HlSh
! titles and an indefinite period of serV-
! ice and other privileges TO which
/ American volunteers for France had
| heen accustomed during the great
war were highly satisfactory to every
! one.
| All these could he arranged through
! the convenient device of attaching
| the unit to the guard" of the Sultar
! of Morocco. And moreover, thereby, II
! tho formation was effected in France
! and NOT Morocco itself, there could be
no question of violating the tnltec
| States statute which empowers the
! agents of the United States Govern
| ment to restrain legally American cit
iZens who enlist in a foreign war Whlle
; in territory in which the United States
has extraterritorial rights-Whlch IL
! has in Morocco.
on Bastille day, July IA, the Amer
leans emerged With the following un
usual status:
!. The unit. without swearing al
| leyiance to either France OF the Sultar
! of Morocco, or enlisting or formally
signing papers to enroll in anything
| was suddenly attached" to the Suitar
of Morocco.
No Written Commissions.
2. They received no written com
| missions, according to recent state
ment of their commander, but were
accorded military titles.
| 3. They were free. according 70
Premier Painleve's statement. 10 send
messages through the lines, write
home and even act as newspaper cor
| RESPONDENTS Three of the highest IL
accorded rank were already eXper-
! fenced Journalists: Sweeney, Parker
! and kerwood.
| 4. Their pay (for higher officers In
| the neighborhood of 1000 francs pei
month) was to come from the Sultan
! of Morocco.
! 5. Their term of service was fixed
| at two or three months, by which
time the government expects to have
! the Riff. situation in hand, ran the