The New York herald., 1922-02-23
ROMA WELL TRIED,
SAYS GEN. MITCHELL
Assistant Chief of Air Service
Recalls Tests Here and
Abroad.
FORESEES NEW POLICY
Does Not Believe Dismantling
for Shipment Injured
Ill-Fated Craft.
FORESEES NEW POLICY

Special Gable to THE New YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau,
Berlin, Feb. 22.
"My confidence in drigibes is un-
shaken" declared Brig, Gen. William S,
Mitchell. Assistant Chief of the United
States Air Service, to-day, but admit
the Roma catastrophe VIII exercise an
influence upon the American aviation
policy. Coming so soon after the zR-2
tR-3S) disaster, it couldn't be expected
to be otherwise"
The General was awaiting eagerly de-
tails oil the accident. especially because
all of the officers aboard the Roma were
Of his acquaintance. He denied that the
fact the Roma had been taken apart
to be shipped to America involved risks,
and said the Americans, in setting up
the dirigible, had improved upon the
work of the Italians. The Roma. in his
opinion, was thoroughly reliable and
proved it's worth in numberless trials,
/ 9th in Italy. where II was flown all
over the country under test conditions
once with former American Ambassador
Robert Underwood johnson as passenger
and in America. where 1t had shown
the greatest stability. When informed
that experts believed the ZR-2 collapsed
because it tried to maneuver at full speed
instead of with the engines half shut
down, as in German practice, Gen.
Mitchell answered: "1he Roma always
maneuvered at full speed
Gen. Mitchell arrived few days ago
from Italy, where he has been seriously
i'll If pneumonia, and is leaving next
week for England, Via Holland, in con-
tnuat tion of his tour of aerial inv6stiga-
tion ever Europe for the American Air
Service. 1t is said he has been deeply
interested here in negotiations with
Germany to deliver a Zeppelin airship to
the United States. but this he declined
TO discuss.
1T was known to me long ago that
the steering gear of the airship Roma
was inadequate. and that its gas bag
was not particularly good" said Diet
rich Il. Nording, one Of Germany's lead
ing airship engineers, i'm an interview
with the correspondent for THE NEW
YORK HERALD to-day. "On the occasion
of the airships transportation from
Italy to America" he added. lit was
taken apart and erected upon it's arrival
at Langley Field. l consider such pro-
dangerous. OF course, it is not known
whether one of these reasons was re-
sponsible for the catastrophe" con-
tinued Herr Nording. who was in
charge of the technical development of
the entire German aerial fleet during
the war. At present he is a director of
the Schuette Lanz Company, one of
Germany's. foremost builders of air.
ships.
AZ. 10
Roma" he declared. ''and in my arti-
Gle that published in the 'Muenchener
| Neuste Nachrichten of September G.,
| last year. predicted several accidents
! Of this kind. While systematic airship
building and operation abroad are quite
| young, Germany was gaining much eX-
perience. Owing to the pressure of cir
cumstances. our airship industry under
went greater developments in four
years than otherwise 1t would have
within twenty.
"The good will, energy and ingenuity
of the Americans alone are not suffi-
! oent A vast practical experience is
| indispensable not only in construction
but also in field operation. Accidents
! like that of the Roma mean both la
mentable and perfectly useless sacri-
flee. That which is more tragic than
the material loss is the loss OF so many
lives and at the same time the lives of
specialists, who are the most difficult
to replace.
"The Italians at present are not the
fittest teachers for America in aircraft
construction and operation. This Is
proved by the fact that the German
airships surrendered to Italy under the
peace treaty went to smash as soon as
the Italians took charge of them.
Already we had learned what others
only now are beginning to learn. so our
experience vouchsafes the fullest meas
ure of security. Catastrophes like the
Roma's are avoidable and merely COM
promise airship service In the eyes OF
tho public. Why should not America
and Germany cordially cooperate In the
development of airship service? With
Americas enthusiasm, ingenuity and
financial means. and the German aerial
industry's experience, the greatest re-
suits for the benefit of mankind would
be achieved"