Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-01
GRAF PASSENGER
TELLSOF "REvOLTI
Protest When Ships Captain
Informs Them of Change
in Route to U. S.
Continued From First Page.)

Continued From First Page)
came worse when Capt. Flemming-
always bit too grouchy with the pas
sengers, closed up the bridge and gave
no one access or explanation. Then al
most every one in the cabin was con-
WINGED that the trip to Havana had
never really been planned at all. But
that was not true, for DR.. Eckener had
been paying for a whole week for the
landing preparations at Havana.
Every one then remembered remarks
of officers and crew; how they are long
ing for Friedrichshafen and home, this
trip being much more strenuous than
the world trip. Vainly Capt. Shoemaker
endeavored to clear up all those mis-
understandings and errors of judgment
Mr.. Zwicky, the Swiss, began to speak
of suing for damages, the Spaniards
were sentimentally hurt because the
whole voyage was not leading to any
Misunderstanding country. and 1t seems
that Don Alfonso was to have de-
livered some warm address from the
old motherland to the Cuban brothers
DIR. Eckener Makes Explanation.
At last DR.. Eckener himself came to
rescue his own affairs, and with long
| and detailed meteorological and aero
nautical explanation succeeded IN
smoothing out things bit. Still the
| whole debate wound up with Dr. Eek
ener's promise not to decide about
Havana before Friday.
When we reached Barbados the vary
ing light signals of the excited island
| Negroes, the exotic charm of the big
stars above the Caribbean Sea brought
back the longing for a new piece of
tropical paradise, and only reawakened
| the nostalgia of us air wanderers. The
passengers started arguing again. Fri
day morning at o'clock we passed the
green mountains and the sleeping capt.
tai OF San Juan. Porto Rico, and were
roaring with all five motors and strong
tail winds directly toward New York
There was no longer any thought of
showing us at least Miami or the
Bahamas, we were headed for the omen
sea. and for the passengers remained
only the bleak outlook Of three DAYS of
watery desert from Pernambuco to
Lakehurst and three more DAYS of the
same Watery desert still to come on the
way from LaKenurst home to Seville.
No Value for $4,000 Fare.
Then the storm broke loose. All
agreed that this was no value for a
$4,000 rare, that some secret was hid.
den from the passengers which was
the real reason why DR.. Eckener was
hastening home In such an inconsid-
crate manner, and In spite Of the new
wonderful achievement and the period
OF 1aultlesS ability Of the Zeppelin for
tropical as well as transcontinental and
transoceanlc voyages, I am afraid DR..
Eckener this time damaged Somewhat
severely his good cause as FAR as prac-
tlcal propaganda Is concerned. He will
now have to think of some new kind
OF zeppelin expedition and repay his
future passengers with something more
substantial than the mere Joy of a
soul and nerve-curing celestial vaga-
bondage.
do not want to be misunderstood
PROBABLY the real reason for the pas
sengers' disappointment is the sad fact
that wonderful voyage has to end
at all and that one has to return to
the nerve-racking methods of old
fashioned travel on earth and water,
with pedantic time tables, red cap tip
hunters and so on. But there is no doubt
also that Zeppelin travel is already
turning to this same regularity" and
is quickly losing the perfume of glori-
GUS adventure. DR.. Eckener must make
up for 1t in some other way to satisfy
the coming Of the more normal type of
Zeppelin passenger.
Total Is 100 Per Cent Germanism.
At the last luncheon aboard DR.. |
Eckener received from Mr.. Grouse a |
champagne bowl and goblets. In his |
speech of thanks he reached a kind |
OF final reconciliation with the passen- |
gers-primarily because nobody can re- |
sist the really immense personal charm |
OF this great fanatic of a great idea. |
But even he will not succeed perma- |
nently to turn tourism into idealism, |
end that is the crisis the Zeppelin has |
now to face.
On the Pan-American voyage the |
zeppelins i've motors made altogether |
CSC, 100000 revolutions running day and |
night with the same rhythm, a
grandioSe lullaby of our safety All |
that summed up amounts to-: Great
thought, reliable engine, good crafts
manShip and very poor tactics and
thus totaling 100 per cent |
Germanism, the father also of the
Zeppelin.
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