Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-16

would one day play a major role in inteana-
tlonal peace-time transportation. The aged
count died IN 1917.
Count zeppelin's first experiments with
lighter-than-air craft were successful, though
he met with voluminous discouragement from
outside sources. The German public was SYM
pathetic to his 'gas bag" dreams. but the
German government was not. It did not see
anything in his experiments to justify help
from the imperial exchequer. His first sue
ceSsful flight, from Berne to Lucerne, was
made In 1892. This gave him confidence in
his ambition, and he bent himself that much
harder to his task. He plunged on doggedly
and determinedly. Ship after ship poured
from his brain, each one more perfect than
the one preceding. And disaster after disaster,
it seemed, followed in the wake of each ship.
By 1918 he had launched II. But since 1910
he had had varying success with his models.
The World War established the cause of the
Zeppelin before the world Tt was used in the
great conflict by the German government for
both attack and communications purposes
Zeppelins new over the city Of London and
terrorized the population. They few succor
to beleagured German provinces in Africa
1t was during the war period that the Yep
pelin received that impetus for development
which may be regarded as the foundation stone
of its present-day usefulness for international
transportation. The ships, under government
control, advanced in design, In speed and in car
rying capacity. So much so that when the
war ceased and the fighting nations were back
at peaceful pursuits again development OF
lghter-than-air craft gripped governmental
imagination firmly and actively. Great Britain
began at this time the development Of lighter
than-air ships. So did France and so did the
United States.
TO-DAY, as . result of the labors Of Dr.
Eckener and associates in developing
lighter than-atr craft transportation there is
pending for introduction in Congress this
Winter Of a bill designed to extend Federal
aid to American aircraft engaged In foreign
trade. This means mail contracts to airships
after the manner OF those given the merchant
marine and the creation of an airship con-
struction and insurance fund In addition the
bill proposes the permission of commissioned
and on-commiSsoned officers in the ARMY
and Navy, on the active list, to volunteer for
service with any domestic airship or other
commerce
The Zeppelin goes into the field of COM
merce and passenger transportation with a 100
per cent record for safety 1t has cost M
lives or property intrusted to its care DR..
Eckener has declared it his opinion that H'air-
ships, they are built today, can outlive anv
storm across the North Atlantic" Overseas
weather, In his opinion, constitutes q minor
problem in lghter-t han-air craft navigation.
Reason for this opinion is based upon the
mobility OF the dirigible the advanced state of
meteorological data gathering and reporting.
Storm warnings can be radioed to dirigibles
hours ahead of their appearance ON the hori-
zon, and thus be lodged, outrun or avoided
altogether, as the occasion requires
Closer commercial relations between conn.
tries means closer cultural and closer political
relations. shortening of the time contact
between nations means better understanding
IN all phases of internationalism. The shrink
ing OF the world to one-third of its former size
through transportation via the air of hundreds
OF passengers and tons of merchandise and
mail cannot but give to commerce a new
means of furthering worldwide peace and
prosperity through all its confines. This to-
day is already evident in the case of Germany
and the United States as a result of the past
voyages Of the Graf Zeppelin to this country
thing reflected at this moment in the under.
taking Of the building of the overseas zepplin
feet.
Three Pacific steamship companies on the
West Coast and the United Aircraft g. Trans-
port GO. are interested ein the Pacific lima
Building Of the zeppelins alone entails taGR