Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-31
CALLS ARCTIC AIR ROUTE Sal
BY ARTHUR KoEsTLER.

ABOARD GRAF ZEPPELIN, July 81
NV Radio via London) The homeWaro
iourney of the Graf Zeppelin from the
Arctic is triumphal return urexampIeo
GnIr appearance over East Prussia,
over the cities of Memel, Konlgsberg
and Danzig aroused jubilation in the
inhabitants, who crowded the streets
and housetops while sirens rent the ar.
DR.. Hugo Eckener appeared greatly
moved by this ovation, and the non.
Germans aboard we're astonished beyond
words over the enthusiasm OF the Ger
man people.
in a thick fog Dr. Eckener gave me
an interview on the results Of the
epochal flight.
.'The results Of the expedition" the
commander of the worlds most famous
dirigible said, exceeded in some par
ticularS my most favorable expectations
and in others confirmed my fears. My
expectations, in so far as they were
surpassed. were realized when 1 saw
that. respecting the Arctic in Summer,
no anxietieS need be felt regarding
meteorological disturbances. Tempera-
lures in the upper air regions are such
that fears that an ice cap can be formed
on the ship can be avoided by proper
navigation.
THE temperature at medium alti-
tudes, from 5000 to $4,000 feet, was
everywhere considerably above zero.
The lower temperatures are to be
feared only in the immediate prox-
unity of glaciers. Furthermore, we have
established that clouds or fogs reach
up only to a low altitude and above
them prevail Italian-like blue skies.
Clouds Hide Localities.
members of the expedition all agree
that in the meteorological respect the
flight was most delightful.
"Airship trips to the Arctic may en-
Joy special popularity with the edu-
Gated public which has feeling for
color and form. On the other hand,
my fears respecting difficulties about
navigation in Summer and the task of
precisely locating places unfortunately
were fully confirmed. The low-cloud
stratum covers in Summer both parts
of the Arctic Ocean probably always,
hence it is likely that it will never be
possible to reach a certain point at a
certain time with certainty.
For example, 1 could not find
Kameneff Island and had to abandon
my idea Of getting into contact with
Herr Urmanzeff there. Navigators
therefore always must adapt course
after taking into consideration the pre-
vailing weather and fog conditions.
Thus we were compelled to take an
outer course going and to return by
the inner course, contrary to our original
plans. Otherwise we would have seen
nothing.
Magnetic Compass Functions.
However, the big outlying Cluser
Islands always were above fog level.
Regarding the value CT the eXpedi-
ton, would like to stress that by our
tremendous number of photographs We
now are able to give very clear idea
of the true nature OF the Arctic coun-
tries which we visited, Finally, would
like to remark that, contrary to expec-
taticnS, it was possible to steer with the
usual inStrume ntS-that is, with mag
netic and ordinary compass.
1T was especially noticeable that the
compass functioned perfectly right up
to the highest ATTITUDES. The, airship
behaved splendidly in every situation.
However, the question is whether
transcontinental airship traffic via the
Arctic is possible at all seasons. This
possibility seems to me very likely in
view of the conditions prevailing in the
Arctic itself as well as in the Arctic
border regions"
Plans for Return Changed.
We had intended to stop at Lenin-
grad on the way home, but the weather
suddenly presented its most unpleasant
side. Owing to a terrific squall and the
danger to the ship this entailed, we
changed our plans to come directly
through to Germany.
Notification of this change was ra-
diced to the Soviet government by DR.
Eckener, whose message said:
"On our return from the Arctic