The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-12-10
LODGE HEARS
HOW INDIANA
PEOPLE FEEL
Rep. Elliott Tells Conference
Delegate Hoosiers Support
Proceedings - Hughes is
Gratified by Approval.
SUCCESS IS PREDICTED
PALLADIUM NEWS BUREAU

"a
WASHINGTON. Dec. 10. - The
American commissioners to the arma-
ment limitation and far eastern con-
ference are very optimistic that a solu-
ton of the questions involved will be
arrived at which will be of benefit to
the world and satisfactory to the
American people.
The foregoing statement was made
by Senator Henry c. Lodge, one of the
four American commissioners to the
conference, to Representative Richard
n. Elliott, of Indiana The senator
predicted a successful conclusion of
the conference after Mr. Elliott had
informed him that he had only re.
Gently returned from Indiana and had
| found the people there absorbed in the
proceedings of the conference and sup
porting the United States government
heart and soul" in its efforts to
/ bring about an International agree
ment on all questions which now men
ace the future peace of the world
Representative Elliott also informed
Secretary of State Hughes of the at
, titude of the people of Indiana toward
the conference and the confidence they
reposed in the members of the Ameri-
can commission. Mr. Hughes ex-
pressed his qualification
Helium Gas.
4 few days ago a naval airship
! flOated over Washington and it made
a profound impression upon the for
( eign military and naval officers who
are attending the arms limitation con
ference. All of them had seen many
similar aircraft but never before had
! they seen one with its gasbag filled
with helium gas. In fact, it was the
/ first "blimp" ever to be operated with
/ that gas, which is both non-inflama BILE
and nOn-combustible. This gas is pro
duced only in the United States.
/ The United States government has
completed and is now operating two
( plans in Texas for the extraction of
helium, and their output averages from
! so, 600 to $4,000 cubic feet OF helium
! gas per day, and this output will con
! tinue as long as the present supply of
! the gas continues The government
has spent over $7,50O,OO0 to learn how
| to produce heliun, and it has succeed
| ed in reducing the cost of production
| from S1.700 PEI cubic foot TO five cents
| per cubic foot.
| Importance Emphasized.
The importance of helium for the
use of airships is emphasized by the
! fact that had the ill-fated R-3S. which
/ this country purchased in England,
! been operated with helium on her trial
{ trip the destruction OF the craft would
not have resulted. 1t will be recalled
| that the R-38 was wrecked by an eX-
plOsion in a compartment OF her gas
! bag.
Col F. Lucas of the British Royal
! Air Force admits that America with
| its monopoly of the worlds supply OF
helium possesses a most formidable
agency for national defense. He is au-
! thoTity for the statement that if the
British had had two or three helium
dirigibles the world war might have
! been shortened materially.
| He says that the German fleet which
always left harbor accompanied by sev
eral hydrogen dirigibles, which how
cred above the fleet and gave it infor
nation concerning the English and
/ French naval approaches, was always
able to get back to port unless it was
willing to accept battle on its own
| choosing, as in the case of the begin
ming of the battle of Jutland
1t was in this connection that Col
/ Lucas said that if the British had had
a few helium diTigibl25 they coulC
have destroyed the German hydrogen
"blimps" and thus have left the Ger
man navy without its eyes and couIC
! have caught it unprepaTed and de
| stroyed it.
Military experts also aSree that two
helium dirigibles could have forced the
passage of the Dardanelles for the
allied fleet by sailing low over the
Notifications guarding he straits anC
( destroying them with high explosives