The evening world. Newspaper, March 14, 1918, Page 16

Air Fighter’s Courage Ooprright, 1 66 Ra a aaa wae THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 1918 Need Only Exceed Foe’s, Says This French ‘‘Ace” Guynemer’s Famous Warplane Now on View Here — WHICH FRENCH AIR KiNG DOWNED TWENTY-TWO OF HIS FIFTY- (CH AERIAL WARFARE EXHIBIT. Americans, Like French, Temperamentally Suited to Fly-| ing, Says Lieut. Georges Flachaire, Who, Having | Downed Seven German Planes, Is Here Instructing Our Young Aviators. \ By Marguerite Mooers Marshall | 8, by the Press Publishing Co, (The New York Evening World.) tor need not be really brave,” Lieut, Georges Machaire told me, with quiet modesty and an expressive flip of long, slender brown fingers, “but he must be less of a coward than his enemy.” Lieut. Fischaires of the Sixty*eventh Squadron of the French Fly- fag Corps, aftor two and a half yeare of brave and distinguished service in the western theatro of war, is now serving as an instructor for our young aviators in the big school at Mineola, He has won many decorations for valor, although he shrugs, smiles and remains {m- perturbably silent when he {s asked about them, But he admits that he brought down seven German pianes—two more than the number required for making him an “ace.” He flew in practically all the \ big battles on the western front, and 's carelessly se, that he has engaged “in eixty-eight or seventy air EQS fghts—1 cannot recall just the number.” But the most interesting thing about him, to my mind, and the @roumstance most reassuring to all the mothers, sisters and sweet- hearts of our own young flyers, 1s that in all his two and a half years of Lard service Licut. Fiachaire has never once been wounded. On a single occasion, he says, the back of one hand was ecratched slightly, but I could eee no scar when I talked with him yesterday. He ts in town for the OMclal French Aerial Warfare Exhibit in the Anderson Galleries at Park Avenue and 69th Street, where may be seen “Le Viaux Charles,” the original aeroplane with which the greatest of all the flyers, Capt. Guynemer, downed twenty-two of hia fifty-fve victims, “My firet and most interesting experience in the air, the day when 1 brought down my first plane, convinced me that It !r necessary to be only a little more courageous than he against whom one fights,” Lieut, Flachaire continued calmly, “At — erect ter I had been up a little whilea | German plane came for me, But ft did not get very near, and, although the gunner shot at me, the bullets went very wild. I was almost sure that the pilot and the gunner were nervous, | started after the plane and {t began to dodge. Finally the pilot must have lost his head alto- gether, for he actually came down in the French Ines—was pot disabled, but «imply made a funding there, as if he were over his own front. Of course I fol- lowed bim, although I was fly- ing so swiftly and with such force that i could not land properly and my machine was wrecked, I escaped uninjured, and plane, pilot and gunner were captured, “You see, I was not particu. larly brave,” tall, good-looking Lieut. Flachaire insisted with a smile and an {inimitable racta! gesture of hands and shoulders and steccato brows. “And really that is the most interesting ex perience I bave had, J oan think of nothing else at all thrilling. Yes, I have killed mon; one has te kill them to bring down the | plane, and I captured six besides the first one I have just de- | scribed, But it is very eimple, One tries to fly above the enemy Plane and to get as close as pos- | alble so that the shooting may be accurate. Yes, they shoot in re- | turn, but what of it? I have re eelved bullets In my machine, but in me—none! “When the battle is plane agsinst plane it is not diMecult. Sometimes, however, five or six wili try to down one, and then it is necessary to depend on something which had to be done, manoeuvring and what you call “At the front each aviator ‘etunts,’ But the German aviators | #ends about four hours every ave fair fighters and brave fight- day In the air, When he is not ers, although the Allies undoubt- firing he ls much more comfort. edly uave control of the air.” sble “tap the men in the Gacen: thin weoat’ politely ‘x0 trenches, ‘The aviators buy their served and matter-of-fact of aces own food and therefore can bave refused to talk any more about pretly much what they like, In himself, T asked him what he stead of sleeping in the mud thought about American airmen they have barracks, And, after Bea citesaat tao. Wie ic ecan: all, the death rate in aviation ls lar features and cool, blue eyes, Prefs eater than with the (s Mt up with cordial enthusiasm, Ideut. Bert Hall told me, how: *The Americans make a great ever, that in most estimates of cage he he said. Md aviation mortality a unit of 160 ave established fine records an men is taken as a basis, of there will be more of these, Ono which number perhaps not more of the ways in which you cen than a dozen actually do any help and are helping us most is flying. He said that the mortal by giving us aviators and ma- \ty among the flyers themselves chines built in this country. | was 80 per cent, last year, "Undoubtedly there is somo- thing about flying which makes a special appeal to the American, to the French, temperament. Flying is adventurous; it re- quires intelligence and {nitiative, well as coolness and a little courage. Young men make good flyers, because they do not spend ‘ime thinking about what may happen. We never did that in | Prance. When we were not | in the air we talked, laughed, played, amused ourselves, We automobile and meke « mistake ought of our fying simply ag = you are au the erqund god thepe | | " ‘Yo another question of mine Lieut. Flachaire said that one need not have exceptional physl- eal strength to be @ successful airmen. “Coolness is the most important requisite,” he re peated; “coolness and the will to succeed, “In France, as in America, there are many accidents among the young flyers while they are training, It cannot be helped. It you are learning to run an as 1 Ahan AT ar | WN —teen ty, QA LE VIEUX CHARLES,” IN FIVE GERMAN néed be no serious consequences, If you are in the alr and make a mistake—well, that a diffe ent matter” sbrug Lieut. Flachaire, It is a picturesque theory that the war will be won in the air, but the French ace does not take this theory seriously, “Aviation is most valuable for observation and for helping the artillery find its ranges, but what would avia- tion be without infantry to hold posts?” he pointed out ta bis quiet, casual tones. “As for bombing, the important German points are 80 far from our bases that it {8 diMeult to accomplish any tremendous amount of dam age. To bomb Krupps, for ex ample, we should have to trave! €00 miles.” “Then when and how do you think the war will en t ‘The brown, strong, expressive hands spread in a tinal gesture, triply compounded of jrony, fa. talism and resolution “I might set a time for you,” bald Lieut, h but it would mean nothing. I ‘cannot @peak of future plans or cam: paigns. I only know that the morale of the French sation ts unimpaired; that the stand aa A unit; that, so far as we are concerned, the war will end whep we win,” atte PET Se ree Me RUNS \\ , A FEATURE OF FR LjROT FLACHALIRE AND CAR TALIM GEORGES GUY NEMER to his Sufferings and Isolation Endured by Germany's Captives | toi: Recorded on Canvas by Talented Poilus, Many of Whom Are Handicapped by Infirmities. By Will B. Johnstone inhus.sa pit» of German camp Copyright, 1918, by the Press Publiy Co, (The New York Evening World). | Festriction, A soldier ds forlorn- OMEWHERE in Switaeriand ts afteach New York, ‘Thy make you sce | ly pressed against a wire screen bar- IS little up of valiant souls, |the cruelty and the sucerine of tso-) rer trying to talk to his wife, This | relics ¢ once valiant | lation endured by the captives and 18 an exterior and indicates the char- French ar ‘an soldiers. hey |aie wn insight into what our boys | “ler of the prison chucks, the o are buman serap, the he 4 incur-|may expect should they reach these | corduroy walks (more Black For ables who have poured o sweet, | camps. mucky grounds and general atmos- wing of youth the great war| For tho first time we are taken !n a ; now awit “in tails r ee relations tde of the pr seo th rol, French, has six hat Khia 26 n-death men in theit’ pri enon of Camp Holaininde.s, | These men whose flowers | with ye the left arm 1 mind obsessed | lite, Maient erie ia ware At nd note forts they ave b he tragedy of experience | | re 1 be i 4 crusted by One canvas {8 @ bitter indict. | Prussian plague and Krupption, They wa an inter +| ment of German cruelty 32 the treat a trom German prison campa end three prisoners of her prisoners, Whia large | vo been encouraged by the Swiss a a“ table between ition represents a bearded > work that is designated thelr The “beds,” one | Freich prisoner tightly roped 'to a “intellectual pr ty." {row of mortar boxes, flush with the! stake. He stands in a strained posl- Br y struggling against Infirm: | floor, with a similar row on top, chest bound by the waist and knoes, ities, they have produced a nutaber| high, aro of unpainted wood, misaion|with biy arms stretched awk~ ft paintings, « 4 and sketches | effect. T nt} Wardly back around ¢ post, his | which have been brought by the inch pli » Black Forest, lands lashed together® The sun tH for the! omission effect | Swisa-American Cdinmitt sh mattress, about s : | Relief of Allied Prisoners and are on|the size of second base, is folded ty | mouniain In the background, and tts) Jexhibition at Knoedier'y Gallery, No.| one end vf the bed stall and covered | !ast clid the tortured poilu's $58 Fitth Avenue by a doll blanket, You eaa ct lggesting the ending of & The paintings are especially inter-| the articles of clothing hung on a tine | perf erman day : cating as the firet intimate pictorial| strung up under the low ceiling and| Another 1 is as gloomy as secord of German prison camp Ute tq appreciate that dinky Uttle cloget in! Poo, w: ae = . ’ |, >: \Interned French Artists Paint oner ready an old French newspaper - homesick companions. . * wear wooden shoes, which seem to Life in German Prison Camps}*\.'s" x2s'viot sits noon work the most surprising thing Is passion then they need all of that for the THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 4918 — Independence Declaration Not Signed July 4, 1776, But Four Weeks Later A Curiosity of American History That Trumbull’s Famous Painting of the Declaration’s Adoption Has Been Mia- interpreted and Its Title Changed to “Signing,” Causing Popular Error Regarding Date. By Philip Robert Dillon Copyright, 1918, by the Preas Publishing Co, (The New York Evening World) O* of the most persistent popular errors of the people of the United States is the belief that the Declaration of Independence was “signed” on July 4, 1776. The plain facts about the Deo laration and the subsequent “signing” are as follows: ‘Thomas Jefferson was the Chairman of the eub-committeo appoint ed to draft the Declaration. The other membors of this committee were Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston, Benjamin Franklin and Joho Adams, On July 2, 1776, Mr. Jefferson, as Chairman of this committee, pre sented to Congress the report of the committee. Ho had himself, with his own hand, made a ir copy.” This report was taken up and de bated all that day, and next day—the 2d of July—tin oppressively hot weather, a number of amendments were made, striking out passages and substituting others. Finally, on July 4, the Declaration, as amended, was ready for @ vote. The President of Congress, John Hancock, put the question tu about the same manner as such questions are put nowadays, He safd: “The clerk will call the roll on the motion to adopt.” The clerk did call the roll, and each member present answered “A: Then the President announced that the motion to “adopt the Declaration 1s car- ried.” There was no “signing” by anybody on that day, unless the President and Secretary signed the minutes of the session, which {n- cluded other matters in addition to the Declaration, This signing by ment uptown. One pris- ‘Two Germans havé not indulged for whifewash, But called shows akets wail also has a © au Grillag vevind the shoulder’ of a! ub Fs @ibouctted prisoner President and Secretary, if {t was dono, 1s all the signing that any legislative body ordinarily requires. It was not until July 8 that the Declaration was read aloud ceremontously to the public, and then there was no announcement of the names of those who had voted for It. On July 19, fifteen days later, Congress ordered that the docu- mont be “fairly engrossed on parchment, with the title and style of ‘The Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of Amer- lea,’ and that the samo, when engros.ed, be signed by every mem~- ——j ber of Congress.” This was done. It was on Aug. 2, 1776, that most of the members wrote their sig- | natures upon the parchment. A number signed later. Seven who were members on that 4th of | July did not sign at all. Their names are Clinton, Alsop, R. Liv- ingston, Wisner, Willing, Humph- reys and Rogers. Their terms had expired and new members took thelr places. The names of the seven who signed but who had | not voted for the Declaration ave Thornton, Williams, Rush, Cly- mer, Smith, Taylor and Rose. Much of the popular error about the date of “signing” is probably due to the painting “Declaration of Independence,” which wa# executed for Con- gress by John Trumbull, finished {n 1818, and hung in the rotunda of the Capitol at Washington, where {t still hangs. Millions of copies of this painting have been circulated by publishers of en- eravings, magazines and news- paper publishers, Possibly, ex- cepting “Washington Crossing the Delaware,” it is the most fa- millar picture in the United States. Yet, strange to say, It seems that the mass of the peo- ple, including many editors, have not closely observed it. The | picture shows the sub-commit- tee of five standing at the Presi- dent's table, Mr. Jefferson speak- | Ing while holding in his hand a paper, evidently explaining tts | purport to the President. No- | body ts signing anything. A quill | pen sticks out of an ink bottle— | a bit of furniture. In spite of the clearness of the painting and the plain title which the painter gave it, en gravers carly began to change the title. Harper's Weekly of July 5, 1858, printed o full page franied hy hia nrison door, Th fig- | ure, with utter dojection in every | line, lifts an anguished feces toward the moon, the one connecting link be- tween him and his beloved France, his battling countrymen, his home, | his wife, his children. reproduction of the picture ovor Piet Gillis, Belgian, displays the| the title Declara most artistic talent in the collection.| tion of Inde Probably His “Gray Time in Germany” ts a| the editor fro charming wet landscape away from ; earlier engraved sheet or from < ope it 38! text books are printed showing with no spots on the sun and long| isi ‘ N may she rain, | the picture as the “Siguing,” and Henri Bing, French, has eleven| many of our leading nowspapers prison sketches. “La Neige au Camp"| reproduce it with the word looks as if they bave coalless Mon-| “Signing” in the caption. days only seven days a week at the! To repeat: Trumbull’s paint- prison camps there. Ing is just plain “Declaration of Independence,” and the “sign- ing” was done ou Aug. 2 Capt. M, Amirault shows some Rus- | stan prisoners locked together sing- ing in close harmony, if a Rugslan| can ever be in harmony, and joyously ———- ——-~ playing balalalkas, au instrument of " torture a few degress deadlier than WHAT HE'D DO, tho ukulele, And when a Russtan| PN ® first-class compartment of ay plays his “Home, Sweet Home" on a] express train a testy old gentle 1 slalaika it must sound just as sweet man was sitting next to a yount as’ new mown murder and homelike ik filsee, man who seemed to be In high sptrit) ething, beguiling the tim) Altogether, in this exhibition tt ts| over som tho human rather than the artlatio| Arst PY whistling and thea by hum appeal that impresses, and you think | mins, The old gentleman was evi, hoyond the pictures, with sympathy | dently annoyed and became {rritabiq for these exiled brave, to whom we| At last, when his neishbor bure| clyillans owe auch a debt of gratitude! out with, "I wish I were a bird," by apna cea could forbear no longer, and ex; NO RACE SUICIDE HERE. | ciaimed excitedly: HE population of Japan ts tn- “L wish to goodness you were T creasing at the rate of about | young man, I'd wring your peok."s €76,000 year 0 Baltimore Bum, nk ail ff