Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-16

The recommendation made by Rear
Admiral Moffett, chief of the United
States Bureau of Naval Aeronautics,
that the law forbidding the expectation
of helium gas to foreign countries be
repealed in the interest OF humanity
and the development of hghter-than-
air craft falls on sympathetic ears in
America. Mortified at the recent de-
struction of the British dirigible, R-l0l..
1.-THE virtual certainty that the highly
inf1ammable hydrogen with which the
dirigible was inflated was responsible,
at least for the large loss OF lie. EN-
phasizes anew the unSuitability OF THIS
dangerous gas for aircraft" says the
St Paul Pioneer Press, and it feels
that. despite selfish considerations,
this country should not continue 10
prohibit helium export when it might
avert air tragedies IKE that which be-
fell the R-101." - the opinion OF the
Moreantown Dominion News, the acct
dent demonstrates that dirigible opera
ton with anything except non-infiam-
mable gas is entirely too hazardous tor
anything short Of emergency use, sueh
as might be required by wartime actfvl-
ties" AS the Cleveland News puts 1t:
Substitution of helium for hydrogen,
in Ali airships constructed from now
on. would seem to be a step In pro-
tecting lives, and advancing the art
of air transport in all parts OF the
world"
That the law against exporting helium
was at one time just and necessary Is
conceded. But has that time passed?
Many newspapers think so and give
their reasons for this opinion. The
Newark Evening News explains: "When
that law was put in effect, the cost OF
producing helium was high, and the
known sources were limited. Insult
ficient was produced for the needs OF
our own dirigibles, and for while the
gas had to be piped from the Shenan-
doah to the Los Angeles, one craft
earthbound while the other employed
the helium. Today" this paper con-
tinues, "a surplus of the isolated ele-
ment has caused the two great Govern
ment plants at Fort Worth and Amaril-
10 in Texas to shut down from time
to time, never to work at full capacity.
The Chicago Daily News also is sure
that 1--WE have more helium gas than
we need" and the Jersey City Journal
quotes naval officers as believing the
gas could be exported without jeopardlz-
ing our supply"
X X
Expressing it's confidence that when
it comes to acting for the saving OF
life, the American people have never
taken selfish or timid view" the Pitts
burgh Post-Gazette approves the export
of the gas. eff America can contribute
anything to the science of aviation
and to the preservation of human life,
in time of peace, it seems that the sug-
question of Rear Admiral Moffett should
be given careful consideration" advises
the Hamilton Evening Journal. Sup
porting this viewpoint also, the Danbury
Evening News points out that "other
nations are forced to use inf1ammable
gases now, and will in the future, I'M
less we come to their rescue with our
helium" Such action by America "ac-
cords with the dictates both of human
ity and of scientific progress" says the
Buffalo Evening News, while that 'it
seems no more than international
comfy" is the opinion of the Richmond
News Leader.
To those who would fear that the
gas would some day be used against us
the Hartford Daily Courant says, "As
long as we continue to hold the key to
the worlds helium resources we control
the extent to which that gas may be
used" this fact putting us "in posi-