The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-02-08
Won ZEPPELIN Defends
tcontinued from page one.l

tL00tIndc0 IIOtu f>d8O \AAS.l
and inventor carried a genuine note
of grief that was -unmistakable---
that noncOmbatants have been slain.
But have not noncOmbatants been
killed by other engines or warfare:
Why. then. this cutlery? Let me tell
you 1t il because England fears the
Zeppelin dirigibless She realizes that
they promise to destroy her splendid
isolation; because, failing to succeed
In building something similar. she
hoped to arouse the world to bring
pressure to prevent the use by Ger
many of these great weapons. OF mod
ern warfare which are Nn9yailaAle.
for her own use. f..,s.s ar. ii r.
May Shorten WGr.c8
IF the military effect Of the, Yep
pelin afrships tends toward shortening
this terrible war by only one day.
thereby saving perhaps thousands Of
lives; then the Zeppelins. even now
ONLY beginning their development as
a new military arm, would prove TO
be so effective a weapon In hostalitIes
that wars are less likely to come in
the future; then their advantage Will
be a benefit to humanity quite aside
| from their peaceful usages.- 80
land now, If in this most critical
hour when Germany's very existence
| is at stake, when an Effort is being
made to starve our women AID chill
| dren. Zeppelins add the slightest
strength to the fatherland against the
ring Of enemies seeking her complete
destruction, then my lie WILL not nave
been in vain"
There was no question of the deter
mination of this old but wonderfuiIy
strong man. His voice rang ciear.
4 despite his near four score years OF
4 active life, q career that has been
marked by eventful happenings such
as seldom fall to any ordinary NOR
ital. Until tonight he has positively
refused to. explain his position through
the press. German and American
newspaper men alike have been re-
fused when they sought an interview
Inv own efforts along this line having
j.commenced in the summer OF 1911
1when I came to Germany from Amer
jica. -,
j route to his base at FTedruckshaven
HE had been at a certain seacoas'
tbase to examine the Zeppelins which
returned from England and to gather
would prove useful in the future de,
velopment of Germany's aeria
strength.
Has Come to Stay.
T. .eWhat is your opinion, Count vor
Zeppelin." asked, "of aerial warfare
as represented by Zeppelins, in view
of the expressions of Indignation iron
England over the dropping OF oomo'
4 in the night?"
aerial warfare has come to stay
!, was the quiet reply 1T is as poten
i a factor today. as is submarine war
/ fare War in the air will become a.
q vital a factor in the strife OF nation
as any other branch of military ant
naval service. 1t may become almos
i as important as the undersea war
fare, depending, of course, upon tn
, development of warships and the new
development of submarines
, Aerial cruisers. in my opinion
largely will tend to change the fac'
, and the aspect of war, perhaps, there
: fore, in the future making war les
!, likely 1 do not believe that the ma
lions will ratify convention el1m1nat
r 7 ing aircraft. Whether there ever VII
= he great battles in the air: like sthos'
. that have taken place on the sea. ca
: only be answered by the distant III
ture. Personally, lam not inclined
to think so. But. who knows: Tnf
is an age OF progress :.
'aThe reports received here tell Q
the killing OF noncOmbatants- l
Ethere any way that TINS can De pIe
vented?" l asked
The Great Difficulty.
The veteran inventor seemed lost
thonrht for a minute 1t was pfai
that the problem had weighed heavll
n on his mind At last he spoke an
i this time it was to give an explanatio
a of the greatest difficulty the navtGs
z tor OF the air encounters.
y you see, we cannot always see
e object from q great height Is thu
) not also true OF artillery and especia
y ly MORTAR? Don't shells often drop
unattended or in noncombatant par
T. of towns and cities? How many moi
u contestants have been killed in IN
n war by Zeppelins az COMPARED ~
tyoust tell Tor instance. where the snel