Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-31

Although Prof Clark's giant rocket
travelled only several of the 2S9,0uu
miles between the earth and the moon,
the flights of imagination Whicn 1t
started reached far greater attitudes.
Though most commentators are con1en.
to make practical observations oaseo o.,
the Smithsonian Institutions assurance
that the rocket was a scientific lnStru-
ment planned to explore the nelgnDor-
ing atmosphere, some prefer to speculate
upon it as an interplanetary missile.
"Dr Goddard is not trying to make
the populace cape, nor Is he seeking 10
bepuile it with heroic pyrotechnlcal ols-
play," contends the worcester Evening
Gazette. as 1t describes the sclenIlsI as
being engaged in that centurles-olo
activity of science, the pursuit Oh Ine
the upper air-the empyrean, as it USED
to be called" explains the Gazette, SO
he hopes to devise a rocket Whlcn VIII
nenetrate the upper regions rockeI
which can carry recording instruments
which are to be released and dropped
nossibly with parachutes, at predeter-
mined distances from the eartns sur
face. The knowledge sought IS ImpU1.
tant knowledge-knowledge Wnlcn o,,e
scientific world eagerly awaits 0oAA
The Springfield Illinois State Register
notes that similar experiments are pc
ing pushed in Germany, but Dr. S1ou-
dard is said to have the advantage 10
date. If his idea proves out-ano IL Is
claimed that success is just around the
corner-this Nation will be credited WIN
a scientific achievement OF vast 1mpOl-
lance" says the Register. since tne
world knows little about the atmospils;te
in the higher attitudes, and IL oeIlnlIe
information can be secured through
such experiments, it might revolution,
ize our theories of the mighty structural
problem Of the universe.
X II II 4
Since Or. Goddard enjoys the back
ing of the Smithsonian Institution, the
trenton Evening Times considers this
"fact which seems to take the proJect
ont of the realm of the fantastic,
though this paper acknowledges that
"Prof. Goddard, much as he may resent
it. will probably be regarded by the
public as man who is attempting 70
Shoot fireworks to the moon" This IN
spite of the fact that the secretary OF
the Smithsonian, DR.. Abbot, specifically
denies he is backing any attempt TO
shoot a rocket to the moon" as the
Columbus Dispatch points out, quoting
DR.. Abbot as saying, mo such wild
project as going to the moon is con-
"If a rocket can be devised that will
reach q point farther from the earth
than is possible with present devices"
advises the Miami Herald, sit is likely
that much valuable information will
be gained. Samples Of the rarefied at
mosphere can be obtained for analysis,
the temperature can be measured, air
pressure can be determined and camera
spectographs Of the sun can be made
that will not be affected by the ozone
layer near the earth's surface" The
Herald concludes: Scientists are IN
terested in the experiments and more
rockets will be fired into space until
results are obtained. One failure does
not discourage the true investigator"
"It is DR.. Goddard's theory" observes
the Des Moines Tribune-Capital," that
his rocket can actually be built so as
to carry enough high explosive to send
It clear out Of the pull OF the earth's
atmosphere, 80 that it would 60 noat-
ing Off as an artificial, tiny comet
through space. But that Is not what
the scientists are aiming at"
On the other hand, the New York
Sun points out that though DR.. Abbot
Of the Smithsonian Institution says
that no such wild project as going to
the moon is contemplated, Prof. God
dard is on record as asserting that he
believes it possible to propel rocket
by q series Of explosions far beyond the
atmosphere and even beyond the in
fluence Off the earth's gravitational at
traction. The Clark UniyeysatF acieMSiat