Evening star., 1924-01-09

The loss of the great French dirigi-
BILE Dixmude from a yet to be fully
determined cause during a trans
Mediterranean flight has once again
! emphasized that science has much to
learn about the Tighter than air"
type of air craft. In view of the plans
to send the American naval vessel
Shenandoah on the proposed flight to
the north pole editors are prompt to
taken that this great auxiliary and
her expert crew are not sacrificed
through lack of proper precautions
OF course, many editors entirely over
look the difference in climatic condi-
tions that will be encountered and the
fact that the United States, alone of
all nations, has a sufficient supply of
explosive helium gas for its aero
nautical work. But, disregarding this
fact. they are none the less earnest in
urging the Navy to overlook nothing
that will safeguard the Shenandoah
and her men. In this very connection
the general sentiment may be sum-
med-up in the comment of the Canton
News, which insists:
Science exacts great toll of those
1t is sheer nonsense to continue this
useless sacrifice of human life unless
there IS some likelfer possibility of
safety than has been witnessed up to
this time.
To this the New, York Herald adds
that the fate of the Dixmude must
give pause to those who still cling to
their belief in dirigibles." The Herald
recalls the enormous number of lives
that have been sacrificed to the Yep
I a T.
ter thing If governments go on and
lose more gallant men using the
dirigible in feats for which the plane
alone is suited. The swallow rides
breaks with the first gust" The New
York Evening World says "the SEN
sible thing to do is to concentrate on
the planes that have demonstrated
their ability to serve their purpose;
to squander money on dirigibles, par
| ticularly now, would be sheer folly"
while the Philadelphia Bulletin de-
clares the loss of the Dixmude should
| teach the Responsible officials to check
| up every detail of the Shenandoah
flight and 80 far as humanity possible
leave nothing to chance in providing
| for the safety of the crew in case of
disaster"
The Pittsburgh Chronicle Telegraph
| feels sit is still the part of wisdom to
make haste slowly in experimenting
with this type of afrcroft, for it
means also experimenting with the
lives of brave men, who cannot be
spared" The Waterbury Republican.
| Furthermore. suggests that the United
States sis vast enough so 1t can pro-
vide varied flying experience and the
only dirigible that we have should be
put to exhaustive tests right here at
home" while the Boston Transcript
asks what assurance have we that
the Shenandoah and its crew will
have more than gamblers chance
of success?' Holding the same views,
| the Columbus Dispatch insists fur
/ ther that until their management
shall have made advances which are
not yet even in sight, no dirigible un-
der government control should be
allowed to make any such cruise into
| the unknown as has been proposed by
| the Shenandoah.
It is the opinion of the New York
Times that the tragedy should not be
| regarded as a deterrant in any way to
| the development of the dirigible and
l to the use of such ships for COM
merce," for while 'they have their
Obvious frailties, their radius of
| travel is so great in competent hands
] that they are Indispensable for many