Evening star., 1922-02-26

Launching a gigantic commercial
enterprise i'll aerial transportation Is
virtually assured after conferences
between DR.. Johann Schuette. pat
entee of many of the innovations used
on German Zeppelins and president
of the Schuette-Lanz Airship Com
pany of Germany, and representa-
tives of the General Air Service Cor
poration in this city during the past
week.
The corporation founders include
r. B. Mellon. president of the Mellon
brother Of the present Secretary OF
the Treasury; E. w. Nudge, steel
operator of Pittsburgh; Benedict
Crowell. Philip N. Wrigley of Chi
cago and a number Of others.
The plan is virtually transfer OF
the aerial industry of the Schuette
lines of Germany to this country, un-
der American capital and American
managerial authority, and the initial
step will be the inaugura ton Of an
air line between New York and Chi
cago. Eventually it is intended to
extend the system, not only to South
America. but also to the Pacific and
Atlantic. furnishing transoceanic and
transcontinental service for freight
and passengers.
Research of Two Years.
The announcement was made after
a research into methods of pro-
cedure covering the greater part OF
in a magazine article. eighteen
months ago, first suggested the
formation of such corporation as
the present one has turned out to be,
and, although he had had no previous
knowledge of it, within three weeks
nlanS already were haiDsr considered
for the founding of a huge aerial
company operating freight and pas
8enger carriers.
Mr.. Tinker was called in to confer
with the original founders at that
time, with the result that today he is
interested in the new organization
which grew up after his first fic-
tional publication.
In outlining the company's plans
Benedict Crowell, formerly assistant
American aviation mission to Europe
and president of the Aero Club Of
America. said:
American Service First.
'Our aim is to provide rigid air.
ship service to America first and, as
time goes on, link this continent with
the rest of the world by aerial
routes, a service supplementing ex-
listing methods of TRANSPORTATION, one
which will traverse space in a mini
mum of time and supply means of
travel both safe and comfortable.
Aerial transportation is just as
necessary to present day civilization
fifty years ago. In no country in
the world is this new method of
transportation more necessary than
in the United States, because Of its
great eXpanse of territory and it's
numerous urban centers of large size
Wit n6 fot nd oh ~,,11
lead the world in the rigid airship
field'
The General Air Service Corpora
ton is to be the outgrowth of the
American Investigation Corporation,
which was formed under the laws of
the state of Maryland as its parent,
to collect the necessary equipment,
patent rights and material for the
capitalization of the child company.
Onicers Of Corporation.
The officers Of the American In
vestigation Corporation. which will
practically dissolve into the General
a. Fahnestock. president; franklin
d. Roosevelt. formerly assistant sec
retary of the Navy, vice president;
Francis T. Homer of Bertron, Girls
com & Co.. secretary and treas
urer; Alvin DevereauS of New York,
assistant secretary and treasurer. The
board of directors includes S. Read
ing Bertron, president of Bertron.
Griscom 6 Co., chairman of the
board; William B. Joyce, president
of the National Surety Company;
Samuel McRoberts, Benedict Croweli.
Franklin D. Roosevelt and Snowden
A. F'ahnestock.
Arrangements have been completed
for the transfer of the patents and
rights Of the Schuette Lanz lines to
the new corporation. A contract has
been drawn up and will be signed
this week, it was announced, after
preliminary and routine details have
been settled.
DR.. Schuette arrived in this coun-
try almost two weeks ago today. 1t
is his visit which has made possible
the incorporation of General Air
Service and has made the plans more
definite.
Chicago Line.
Officially it was announced last