The Washington times., 1924-10-21
ZEPPELIN FATE
NOT INVOLVED
IN PLANT.
Lighter Than Air Craft to Be
Built Even If Works Are
Destroyed, Says Eckener
By ROLAND KREBS,
International News Service.

setM1tlDuak MOVIE bcFVlces
NEW YORK. Oct. ELEVEN il
the Zeppelin factory at Friedrich
shafen, Germany, be destroyed
under the terms of the Versailles
treaty, as the French intend 1t
shall be, the development OF huge
lighter than air dirigibles OF the
zR.3 type will not be lost to
science.
That assurance came today from
Doctor Hugo Eckener, pilot of the
IRIS in its transatlantic flight, in
an exclusive interview with Inter
national News Service in which he
told Of plans which in effect will
result in the transfer OF the whole
Zeppelin industry to Akron, Ohio.
Doctor Eckener will remain in
New York. meeting different Off
Gals of the Goodyear Zeppelin Cor
poration, until he sails for Ger
many In the middle Of November.
Vandalism, He Says.
ITO destroy that factory in
Friedrichshafen," the doctor said,
lis an act Of vandalism. But then
the French are-welI, the French.
They are excited. They find them
selves today in a commanding posi-.
ton, where they got with the help
OF others, so they are leaving MOTH
ing undone to prevent their falling
back.
But, even If the factory be
destroyed under the treaty, the
developments of these dirigibles
Will go on as an American in
dustry, now that their worth has
been proven by the trip over the
ocean.
I'VE have formed a corporation,
you see. Our activities will be
concentrated in Akron, your big
rubber city. Technicians and skilled
workers from Friedrichshafen will
be brought over. Later l shall
return, too. Then, we will wait
for the Navy Department to order
the building Of more ships"
Regular SaiIings.
Doctor Eckener seemingly ac-
cepts giant dirigibles as navy craft
as a foregone conclusion. He is
convinced that the time is not far
distant when these air cruisers will
be making regular sailings over the
Atlantic.
The air navigator's eyes twinkled
and he smiled when he said he
would be coming back to the
United States soon. In the short
time that he has been here on this,
his first visit, he has become fond
Of the United States and partic-
ularly of New York.
This city eascinates him in many
ways, but particularly from an en-
cheering standpoint.h Its towering
buildings, for one, which he saw
for the first time from the air
as he sailed up and down Broad
way and the Hudson, thrill him.
He spent nearly all OF yesterday
on top Of the Woolworth tower,
studying its architecture, the en-.
cheering problems incident to it's
construction and the buildings that
surround it in Lower New York.
Obvious To Attention.
Because of his pre-occupation,
the doctor is oblivious to the at
tention he attracts on the streets.
He is easily recognized from the
imperial cut of his beard. In walk
ing from the Waldorf.Astoria Hotel
to the Pennsylvania subway sta
ton with the correspondent, ne did
not notice the open mouthed way
in which passersby in Thirty.third
street gave him the stare they
give prize fighters, premiers, ac-
tresses, princes and other public
figures.
From all sides came remarks
from newsboys, chauffeurs and
wagon drivers: 'Lookit! That's
Eckener.'' More staring. "The
Zeppelin fellah?" Prolonged stares.
yeah, that's him."
AS a transportation system, Doc
tor Eckener thinks our subways
wonderful. AS place in which
to get lost he thinks they are
matchless. Transatlantic flights
are simple for him compared to a
ride in Bronx express.