Evening star., 1933-04-04

curate weather reports at all times, the
Navy Office here through the Annapolis
station did not seek out the ship.
While under usual procedure the ship
would have reported its position at
1880 pm, communications officers
merely believed that static might be in
terfering with messages or it might be
devoting entire attention to receiving
weather reports.
Secretary Swanson, speaking in a
low voice and strained, said every effort
will be made to recover the bodies of
men who lost their lives and to salvage
such of the ship as Is possible in the
fairly shallow water.
Need Ships More.
Asked by newspaper men about his
opinion of the mighty airships as a
result of the disaster, the Secretary re-
piled that he had never been as en-
thusiastic about them" as some of the
Navy had.
Asked about the possibility of replac-
ing the Akron, the Secretary quietly
smiled and said appropriations for such
work would be matter for Congress.
ut seems to me we need ships more
than anything else" he added as an
afterthought.
The Secretary disclosed that the new
airship M2conl, after its tests and ac-
ceptance by the Navy would probably
be the only airship in the service.
The airship Los Angeles, which has
been out of service since the Akron was
commissioned, is to be sold, Swanson
said. The decision to sell the former
German ship was the result Of survey
made by a board which recommended
its disposal.
The Secretary did not know what
conditions under which the Los Angeles
would be sold or the price it might
bring.
1T is more of commercial ship
then a warship, in any event." he said
May Close Lakehurst.
In response to questions whether II
| the two airships were no longer to be
housed there, what disposition was to
be made of the Lakehurst station and
would the station be temporarily closed,
Swanson said:
THAT is yet to be determined but
it might if there is nothing there 10
| do"
He indicated that the plan to send
the Macon to the West Coast would be
carried out when its tests and accept
ance were completed. He recalled that
the purpose of the Macon was to CO.
operate with the fleet, and said that
since the fleet was on the West Coast
it would naturally follow that the air
ship would be sent there.
Commenting on the fact that Rear
Admiral Moffett still was among the
missing, the Secretary said the admiral
had made the flight upon his own
| (Moffett's) insistence.
Asked if the admiral had taken the
trip against the advice of others, the
Secretary emphatically replied that he
had not.
THE Navy will indeed have lost a
very fine man if it has lost Admiral
Moffett." the Secretary said with g
hint of his own saddened feelings in
his voice.
Bingham Blames Storm.
A thunderstorm was blamed BY
Hiram Bingham. president Of the
American Aeronautical Association, and
former World War aviator, for the
Akron's destruction
The former Senator from Connect.
cut said there were three danger ele.
ments in thunderstorms to dirigibles
First, the tortuous character of tht
winds: second, the danger of lightning
| tApiOoliIB LIle gas ldilk, IiuIU, tIle
weight OF the rain which sometime!
adds three of four tons additiona
weight on the dirigible
II hope this accident won't discourage
us any more than the loss of the II.
tanic failed to stop the British from
making big sea ships" he said.
II fully expect to see the American
spirit prevail and our air work to &
on"
President Roosevelt was urged b,
Bingham to I'LL the vacancy OF Assist,