The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1922-03-18
VAST DIRIG|bLE
Line IS PLANNED
Corporation Is Formed for the
Promotion of Commercial Fly
ing in United States.
BIG MEN BEHIND PROJECT
First Line to Be Operated viii Be
From New York to chicago-Alr.
ships to Be Of Modified Zeppelin
Type-Use HeIiun1 Gas.

ships to Be Of Modified Zeppelin -
Type-Use HeIium Gas.
WashingtOn.-The formation of a
gigantic corporation for commercial
navigation Of the air In this country,
through the establishment Of regular
lines over which will be operated huge
dirlgible airships of the modified Zep-
pelin type, was announced by the Uni
ted States chamber Of commerce. ~
The corporation will be known as
General Air Service, Its incorporators
and founders include some Of the best
known men Of the country. Definite
plans for the construction Of huge
dirigibles In Germany have been
formed, the whole drigible situation
has been studied from an advanced
scientific point Of view and, it is an
nOunced, the corporation expects to
be able to place two large ships in
operation in this country In the sum-
mer of 1923. -.-
Benedict Crowelf is one of the group
OF financial men and engineers behind
the project, and he will be president
OF the new corporation, which was In
corporated under the laws of Mary
land on Feb. q, 1922. Mr.. Crowell
was formerly assistant secretary of
war, was head Of the American avia-
tlon mission to Europe, and is presi-
dent Of the Aero Club of America.
Field Thoroughly Investigated.
Before going ahead with the incor-
poratiOn Of the General Air Service,
which will be the manufacturing and
operating company. the men interested
In the project formed what was known
as the American Investigation corpor.
alton, for the purpose of Investigate
Ing the practlcability Of the establish
ment of commercial air service with
large rigid airships in this and neigh
boring countries. In their investiga-
lions the representatives of the cor
poration had the cooperation and as
sistance of DR.. Johann Schuette Of the
Schuette-Lanz Airship company of
Germany, and his corps of engineers,
also various engineers and associates
Of other airship authorities of Europe.
Or. Schuette had been in America in
the spring Of 1920, as had officials of
the Zeppelin company, and the infor-
nation gained from them was of ma
terial service in the first formal step
the organization of the American In
vestigation corporation.
The first line the company hopes to
put into operation will be from New
York to Chicago, to be extended to
Pacific coast cities as soon as addi-
tional ships can be built. The New
York hicago line will be opened, it
Is announced, by two ships, each of
approximately 100000 cubic feet ca
pacfty, these ships to be fabricated
In Germany and erected in the United
States. They are designed to provide
accommodations for 100 passengers
and 80 tons Of mail and express mat
ter. 1t is announced to be the plan
to build larger ships for lines to South
America and Europe when the facili-
ties for complete construction have
been gathered. ......
DR. Schuette is identified with the
new company. 1t is declared to be
the plan to build the later ships in
this country, and virtually to transfer
large part of the experimenting
business to the United States.
Plan to Use Helium.
1t is not planned to use hydrogen
gas, but helium, in these gigantic new
dirigibles which, it is asserted, will
embrace the latest notifications Of
both the Zeppelin and Schuette pat,
ents, both Of which were combined in
the last Of the German dirigibles built
during the war. 1t is also asserted
that gasoline, another source of fire
and explosion, will not be used, and
that that motive power will be fur
nished by Oil fuel.
Commercial air transport In the
United States" says the announce
ment, lis in the doldrums, and appar-
emily will remain so until it is given
legal and economic status by federal or
at least by unified state action. Prop
erly developed, with present transpor-
tation systems, this new agency can
become a most valuable addition to
the nations specialized carrier capaci-
ty In peace as well as in war.
"At present nationwide regulative
legislation is greatly needed, not only
for the ordinary needs of public safe
ty, but also to establish the legal stat
us and responsibilities of air trans
port in national and international BUSH
ness. Canada, Australia and Euro
pean nations already have provided
such legislation. Without practical
encouragement commercial aeronautics
in America will continue to lag behind
foreign development to such an extent
as to constitute a menace to future
security and to delay fatally the es-
sential commercial development In
which America should rightly stand
first
The report recommends immediate
support of basic national legislation
on aeronautics providing for appropri
ate regulatory procedure, adequate IA
cilities in the department of COM
merce for promoting the regulation
and development of commercial air
transport operations In interstate and
foreign commerce, intrastate legisla-s
ton, an encourag Of widespread