THE “CAMOUFLAGE”

Evening Star, Issue 16460, 26 June 1917, Page 6

THE “CAMOUFLAGE”

A new slang word, which is an equivalent lor our longer phrase of “ throwing dust in one’s eyes,” conies from France, coined in r tho war. More literally, the new word,- ’’ camouflage,” means raising a smoko to fool the enemy, and the men who engage in this fascinating pursuit aro the artists who fight the enemy with their brushes. As imitation is tho siucerest form of flattery, our artists that is, those who are in tho ranks above the illustrators—have formed themselves into an American “ camouflage ” to serve the national colors by means of their own colors. Deceptive coloration is the principle at the basis of this war measure, and it is interesting to recall that one of our distinguished art .is Is, Mr Abbott Thayer, is tho author of tho most scientific work on the subject of this principle as it is to bo observed worked out by Nature for the protection of animals. A hundred American artists have organised themselves into a committee, and have already advanced their preparedness by frequent correspondence with artists of the French camouflage’ - and by arrangements with officials of tho Government. Mr Ernest Peixotto, a member of the American committee, gives in the New York ’ Evening Sun ’ some details of tho work in France, which enlarge on the account we furnished our readers on an earlier occasion:—

At the beginning of the war the French artists went into the lines, did effective work, and many were killed, as happened with the men of every class and vocation. Later the older men were detailed to do cartoons and make posters to stir the spirit of the country. A group of these men turned their hand to malring war supply depots, waggons, motoi trucks, and trains invisible. Under almost any conditions, whether in woods or in oper country, this deceptive art was found to b( successful to a great degree. It is almost impossible now for aeroplanes to locate tht French batteries. There has been some sue. cess in concealing moving trains, and stand ing trains have been effectively painted out of the landscape. “ The work is foumlcA on tho theory of the Indian who painted himself- so ho would bt lost in the desert when hiding from animals or pursuers. Tho trick is being used to con. ceal outposts and observers who are stationed at dangerous points. Many false posts have been constructed for observer's. I hare been informed in complete detail of how an outpost that proved of great service was substituted overnight for a dead horse in No Mgi’.’s Land. The dead horse lay between the lines, on a bit of Hsng ground. During tho night the dead horse was removed and tho sculptors make a fake horse which was put out with a man inside. His business was to remain there during tho day and come back to the lines at night to report. As his post was above tho German, trenches, he was able to keep close watoh on the enemy’e movements at that point. Among many instances showing the extent to which deceptive coloration may bo of sendee, the one in wliicb a village street was actually faked is very striking. It was desired to pass soldiers from one part of the front to another past the end of a village street, which was within sight of tho German glosses and easy range of their guns. The artists painted a street, prolonging it by perspective, and made it seem that there was still, an empty street. Behind this muslin socno soldiers passed all day long without detection, and undisturbed by the enemy's guns. Such work as this has its elements of grave danger, of course, as the least indication that one side is attempting to conceal what is going or at a certain point draws o concentrated fire from the other. “It has been possible to construct fake roads of painted muslin to draw the enemy's fire while important movements of troop* and supplies were being carried out elsewhere. Painted nettings hung over the butteries conceal them successfully by making them look like their surroundings. The possibilities of effective deception have proved almost unlimited.”