The Idaho recorder., 1922-03-10
Roma, Bought in Italy, Is
royed With Loss of
Thirty-Four Lives.
by WAS DEFECTIVE
eservationists Busy With the
ls ower Treaty-Movement to
none Soldiers Bonus Leo
o1ation-lrish Factions in
II hree Months Truce.
" EDWARD w. PIckARD

~ b DWARD w. PICkARD
HIHIY -FOUR more lives have been
sacr1ficed to Americas infatuation
foreign built airShips If we must
3 these craft, is it not about time
NreIled on our own designers and
Htx11ctOrs for them? Unless the in
AnAfi0n available at this writing is
eading, the disaster that befell the
-ia near Hampton Roads last week
be FOUND to be in its causes, com
ible to that of the 'ZR-2 in Eng
{ last August In both cases. APP
sntly, there were vital defects i'm
,tructiOn Of which the builders
3 c0gnizant.
yfnr rs investigation has revealed.
y fall Of the Roma was due to the
king of the controls that regulat-
The altitude of the airship. Despite
''heroic efforts of her navigators and
frantic casting overheard of all
ASt by the crew, the huge balloon
diged Downward from height of
At 400 feet. AS she crashed against
ground she broke some high ten
a electric wires and at the same
pient the big gasoline tanks burst.
the RESULTING explosion and fire
{ Of the victims met a mercifully
ant death. Even If the Roma had
Vstruck the wires. say army air ser
officials. the men caught under the
''el'G gus bag and steel frame would
\ burned to death, for the gasoline
u the broken tanks would have ig-
u from the engines. This fact may
It possible blame for the using of
nary Held gas in the Roma instead
he n0ninfiammable helium gas, de-
ped by the air service. All the
i'm ID the country was In the Ro-
! bag when she was given trial
late In December. but as this was
,te2 far a contemplated long tour
The country next summer, it was
I'm out and the ordinary gas sub
tied
though General Mitchell, head OF
United States air service. now I'm
Ii, gays the Roma was perfect,
- II reason to believe that he is
<Gkeu. Last summer Kenneth l..
sHft4 Witnessed demonstration
&c Q4 the balloon in Italy shortly
y Ghe had been sold TO America,
he Wfote for the Saturday Eve
Post story of that flight in
J "A he brought out these points:
v the gas bags were old and
that the Italians wanted calm
GcF the trip; that they refused TO
~ ohip over Mount Vesuvius. ap-
0fly fearing the heat of the era
q that they preferred sailing over
0ceou, the air being more quiet
~ <112t the ship reared. bucked,
Nd md was buffeted about like
0thet IN a cyclone; that the ship
4 4 tendency to nose downward at
- rate of speed.
may be this new disaster will re-
& a the cancellation of the order
y Zeppelin for America 10 be built
Germany. General Mitchell says
craft Is not under way. because
vhe numerous difficulties between
\rica. The entente and Germany.
Lse difliculties center on whether
rica hall get the latest type or
sld style. If America wants the
Il. the entente must permit Ger
" % build airships. which the Yer
- treaty forhids "
r.ESIDENT HARDING informed
the aennte that he could not com
win rs request for the records.
-utex Conversations, etc. relating
ne f0Grpower treaty. because most
She conyersations and discussions
: quite outside the conference and
} without record He added: IL
1ot be1feve IL to be compatible with
Iic interests or consistent with the