Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-18
Brands Reports as Absurd
Despite Suspicious Voiced
at FriedriChshafen.
ENGINEERS AWAITING
EXAMINATION OF MOTORS
Maybach Factory Heads Fail to
Indorse Belief of Zeppelin
Works Director.
nv m. Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
CUERS, France, May 13-Dr. Hugo
Eckener today characterized as absurd
reports that the engine trouble of the
Graf Zeppelin came from sabotage
where would the sabotage have
taken placer" he asked.
Associated Press reports from Fried
richshafen declared that thorough tests
and examinations Of the motors OF the
Zeppelin will be made by German ex-
perts to determine what went wrong
The suspicion openly voiced in many
quarters that sabotage was responsible
was strongly doubted today by engineers
and other high officials in Friedrichs-
hafen.
Replacement Units Are Rushed.
"The idea of sabotage cannot be en-
tertained," said First Engineer Hans
Stiefel of the Maybach works For the
present, he declared, nothing could be
said about the failure of the motors
First the motors must be examined and
thoroughly tested out. A fast express
is taking to France substitute motors
the federal testing station. They will
be built into the Zeppelin's gondolas
by mechanics who are accompanying
the motors"
Assistant General Director Karl Lutz
was visibly annoyed when the idea OF
sabotage was suggested.
1T is nonsense even to raise this ques-
ton" he snapped.
The attitude of the general public.
however, was more approXimated by Di-
rector Oesterle of the Dornier Airplane
Works, who openly held to the theory of
sabotage.
Charges DIRTY Work"
why should the same thing happen
to two crankshaftS?" he asked. Il have
been with the motors for years and
can't conceive of such duplicate TRACE
dies. No, there has been dirty work
somewhere"
It was said today that the Crafts mo-
tors have had between 400 and 500
hours use, while the IRIS, now the Los
Angeles, had 1000 hours use.
This was pointed to as supporting the
sabotage theory
Discussing the matter of sabotage,
Director General Colsman of the Yep
pelin works said:
Sabotage is absolutely precluded
We haven't had any word as yet as to
what possibly could have caused the
trouble, but we expect telegram In the
course of the day stating what in the
way of repair and substitute parts is
necessary
Karl Beuerle Of the Zeppelin works,
who made the trip to the United States
on the first flight as second engineer,
said: IT can't make a guess as to what
was the trouble, but am positive that
there could not be sabotage. Nobody
was ever allowed to go near the motors
except trusted men. Besides, II there
was sabotage how could the engines run
so many hours before the disaster
cameo"
Nine Suspects Are Held.
Meanwhile nine men arrested during
the week at FriedrichShafen after &C
tions which characterized them as
would-be stowaways were being held in
strict confinement. and, 1t was known,
would be subjected to rigid examina-
ton. There were too many of these, in
the opinion of officials, to make the
presence of all easily explainable.
Nothing more than speculation was
possible in prediction Of the dirigible S
immediate future. 1t was believed 1t
would be necessary for it to remain at
Cuers for at least week or 10 days, but
whether it would start back TO Fried
richshafen from there or continue It's
American flight was not known.
The matter of the $4,000 which pas
sengers paid for passage seemed in
some doubt unless the Crafts owners
chose to make another attempt at a
transatlantic crossing. Under the terms
of booking, no passenger can claim re-
fund of passage or damages, because the
Zeppelin failed to reach its goal
With anxiety over the fate OF the AIR
shin and its cargo removed, the prevail
ing sentiment in Fredrichshafen was
one of irving to recover from the stag
pering blow administered to Germany'S
prestige as an aeronautic leader and
from the setback given TO llghter-than-
air craft transportation.
Nobody blamed DR.. Eckener and ne
was regarded as much hero IN failure
as in success.
The suggestion of sabotage was made
also in New York by F. w. Won Meister,
American representative of the alrship S
owners. who said: Il have had lot OF
experience with those engines. The dis
aiding of so many at the same tine is
extraordinary. To my mind 1t suggests
sabotage"
French bluejackets stood guard to-
Continued on Page 2, Column g.