Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-07-07
ZEPPELTNS NOT YET
PROVED FAILURES
English Writer Gives Interesting
Estimate of Present and
Future of Air Craft

IT must sorrowfully admit that we have
little to teach Germany, and much to learn
from her In all that pertains to airships"
says r. p. Hearne in his instructive and
interesting book, 'Zeppelns and Super
Zeppelins" (John Lane Company, New
York;
Mr.. Hearne, who is an Englishman
knows his subject we'll and he sounds a note
of warning to England when he writes "I
feel cannot over-emphasize the Importance
Of airships to the nation In peace and war"
He has written a book that will interest
the alrrnan and the landsman. It treats
the Zeppelin from a scientific standpoint
and also gives the reader who is not famil-
lar with the subject an inner view of the
mysteries of the Zeppelin.
what of the future7" Mr. Hearne asks
II have visions of London being one day
a great aerial harbor from which airship
services will radiate all over the world.
Think of 100-mile-an-hour ships connecting
us with New York in 80 hours Paris in
two and one-half hours. Petrograd in IA
hours. Rome in nine hours, Constantinople
in II hours Bombay In so hours.
us the Zeppelin a failure?" is the SUBJ
ject of one of Mr., Hearne's chapters. He
answers by saying Germany can strike at
our national nerve centres whilst we have
not the corresponding arm to strike back
at Germany in the same way
Then" he continues, "a little feet of air
course of the war but when we are free
to fully reveal the work done by Zeppelins
in the great war both In raids and in
scouting over land and sea, 1t will be dem
onstrated that our lack OF airships cost US
very dearly in lives, prestige and money"
After discussing the terrors of night raids
by Zeppelns, Englands refusal to engage
in reprisals and the speed and endurance
OF the super-Zeppelin Mr. Hearne ends his
book with these words: "Out OF the wars
and passions of today. out Of the preparation
of men to kill each other by every scientific
device, there will ultimately grow n sane
spirit of internationalism. and between the
peaceful nations of the earth the SUPER
airship then will be a busy shuttle of inter-
communication. So may the great science
of aerial navigation justify itself by service
to mankind"
Theodore Stanton, eNhnent critic and
Paris correspondent of the Dial writes In
the issue Of that journal for May IL that
the forthcoming biography of o. Henry by
Professor Alphonse Smith led him to inquire
Into the matter of o, Henry in France He
reports that while he found much interest
in o. Henry among French men of letters,
o. Henry was hardly known to the general
public in France. The Paris National Lii
brary, however has on it's shelves 10 o.
Henry books. nine purchased and one ac-
quired through the dead letter office. One
of the librarians remarked to Mr.. Stanton
that III o. Henry Is not very we'll known
in France, he deserves 10 be-" The National
Library also records the fact that none of
o. Henry's stories has been published in n
Mr. Stanton tells the story OF
q translation OF Mr.. Valentines New Pro-
fession" made by an acquaintance of his
which failed to ind publisher, but which
the translator saw in pirated scenic adsp-
tation at a vaudeville performances.
William warheld. In his recent large vol
ume, The Gate OF Asia" (G p, Putnam's
Sons. New York;, says that the ''old spectre
OF a Museovite invasion of India has not
yet disappeared" and that the actions OF
the recent British cabinets in permitting
other Powers TO gain valuable railway con-
eessions in the region between the Persian
Gulf and the Black Sea Is plainly an indi-
cation that England has all the colonial
responsibility she can bear, and that on ac-
count of the dangerous situation in Europe
expansion OF the other Powers, We may
yet see either Germany or Russia on the
Persian Gulf, possibly both"
This is practically the only political in
depreciation which the author makes OF
conditions in the territory which he trav-
ersed, most OF which is under Turkish |
One cannot fail 10 be impressed |
with the utter incapability OF the Turks to |
do anything constructive or lasting. Mr. |
Warfield embellishes the story OF the long |
trip by boat and caravan with innumerable |
Interesting anecdotes that alone would |
make the book very much worth while.
William Almon WoIfT's Behind the |
Screen" "a. @. MeClurg & Co. Chicago), |
IS a thoroughly interesting moving picture |
novel Robert Lansing, the hero of the |
story, becomes bankrupt and among his |
few remaining assets he hnds some film |
stock which had been purchased |
by his dead father, but which paid no divi- |
lends. He discovers that the man who |
owns the majority has made more than |
5 500, 600 through II. Thls discovery sets |
he young man thinking. In order that he |
might know the business thoroughly, he |
accepts a position as a super in the IA |
nous Fort Lee studios Here he realizes |
hat the vast possibilities OF the movies as /
an artistic drama are not given even the /
very slightest attention He sets 20 work /
lnder a serious financial handicap, takes a i
famous stage success OF a few years hack, |
obtains the original star 10 play the lead /
ana films the play. His efforts are re-
Rarded sith success but not before he has
net with an6 sGrmounted many difficul- i
lies. Behind tha Screen" should prove an
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