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Show AMERICAN AIRMEN. John D. Evan, assistant secretary of war, and in control of aircraft building, build-ing, recently returned from a visit to the frpnt in company with Secretary Baker. According to .his view, the American aviator has "arrived" and is on the job. For a long time it did not seem possible that this country would be able to supply sufficient planes for the Yankee fliers, but the trick has been turned and production is being be-ing continually speeded up. Mr. Ryan is a cool, cautious, level-headed business busi-ness man, who"vas called into the president's pres-ident's official family to get results, and so far he seems to havo done extraordinarily ex-traordinarily well in the performance of his task. At least, no more criticisms criti-cisms are heard. He must have been thrilled with pardonable pride when with the airmen at the front, for he had done much to fully equip them and make their success possible. In a statement state-ment to the press Assistant Secretary Evan says: "I was with our air forces during the St. Mihiel fight and also the one in the Argonne. I believe that in both these offensives the air forces were stronger in numbers and perhaps as high in ett ficiency as in any battle of the war. This opinion was expressed by both the French and British commanders as well as by our own. The air forces in both offensives Were under the direction of the American commander, and while the French furnished a large part of the forces used and the British co-operated, the American squadrons made up about half of the number participating." According to all accounts, the only criticism leveled at the American airmen air-men is that they are too venturesome and seem inclined to take on too many of the enemy at one time. They are making their mark, however, and if the war lasts tbcy.wijl be "in at the death. ' ' |