AIR RAIDS ON ENGLAND

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 116, 2 February 1918, Page 11

AIR RAIDS ON ENGLAND

THE MILITARY POINT OF VIEW. NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT (By "Sylvius.") It is a- somewhat-.difficult matter for civilians as far away from England as New Zealand to grasp tho viewpoint of the military authorities in respect to air raids on open towns in I England. There aro those whose blood j will boil madly over tho seemingly comparative easo with which the German airmen raid tho English towns, but tho military mind—-a cold, calculating machine—remains quito normal. Tho writer happened to meet an officer yesterday, who, when in England, had associated closely with people who should Itnow, among whom were a number of hard-bitten airmen. In this officer were synchronised the various military views on the valuo of air raids. "Big air raid on London—a lot of fires reported I" I ventured to the man of experience. "Air raid—that's nothing to worrv about. It means nothing from a military point of view." How do you mean? "Well, what does it matter?—a few people killed, and a few buildings demolished! There's nothing in that—it does not help Germany to win tho war. Wo want to win tho war. That's what soldiers are for —it's better to kill one German soldier than a dozen German civilians in an open town." All t.ho same, these raids may bo good German propaganda. They help to sicken people of the war, and a warsick people is not good for the moralo of its army, is it? "No, there may bo something in that." Then why on earth don't wo make proper reprisals, mid shutter a few Gorman towns along the Rhino? "We may bo doing a deal that way, but a lot of the Rhino cities afford no military profit. It is waste of material and men to employ them in that way instead of'over our lines. Besides, it is much easier for the Germans to raid England in tho west than it is for ns to raid Germany. They hop off from Belgium, and cross the Strait without any interference —that is to say, they do not have to cross any enemy territory until they actually reach the cfiast of England. Then they swoop inland, drop a fow" bombs, and aro away, again in no -time, over the sea, whore they ara practically immune from attack. In short, tliev make their dash, with a minimum of risk*. "With our airmen tho case is entirely different. Within a minute or two after they rise they aro over enemy territory, subject to 'Archio' fire. Perhaps they are lucky enough to get through and away to their object, but the enemy knows that they have to come back and all preparation is made to prevent them getting back. Machines are sent to scout out and report on the return of the English or French machines, and often, very often, a few machines - have to fight their way through a, whole squadron. For the self-same reason air raids on French cities are not nearly so numerous ,as they'are ,on England. The long flight over enemy country always has its hazards! It may bo all right going, but it may be a ficrco fighting return. "Then, again, the balance of power in the air at the front is a very tricky tiling,' and wo must not allow it to i grow disproportionate by sending a lot of our machines away from tho fighting 1 lines. The aeioplanes are the eyes of,, the guns, and if tho Germans shoot, our eyes blind, theirs is tho advantage.. :If we can .do so, it is ours. "It may-sound a little cold-bloodpd, hilt really these raids on England count for little in a military. sense. They have tho element of sensation, but after all do thev count for any solid proi gress towards winning the war? "I was in London when it was raided for six nights in succession, yet wlien I wont out I could not locato the points of damage. Doubtless a few houses had been blown to smithereens, and a few peonlo had unfortunately been killed, but in the main nothing had been -accomplished of military valuo to our enemies. And if they think that such tricks are going to help them to shorten the war' by making the public fed up, they hayo added another mistake +o .the many already made in misunderstanding the temperament of the British people 1"