Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 January 1920 — SUN’S RAYS AS WAR WEAPON [ARTICLE]

SUN’S RAYS AS WAR WEAPON

Airplan Hip, May Work Terrible Havoc. Alrplanwt, “roosting” 15,000 to 20,000 faet In the air, will, through the use of powerful lenses, destroy ammunition dumps and entire cities 75 to 100 miles away without firing a shot or dropping • bomb, declared Capt. Eddie Rickenbacher of Columbus, 0., America’s ace of aces in the war with Germany, while before tike house committee on accounts in Washington. Captain Rickenbacher noted that by i tiie use of the lenses it will be possilfie l to set fire to the object which the aviator wishes to destroy, just as It is possible to set fire to paper or wood under the magnifying glass held in the rays of the sun. "Future wars will be won or lost in the air," Captain Rickenbacher ob-; served. "That is true because just such devices as I have mentioned will be brought into play."