The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-04-05
NEW HOPE AROUSED FOR AKRON
VICTIMS; MEN MAY BE CLINGING
TO LARGE SECTION OF WRECKAGE
Naval Committee of House
Votes Thorough Inquiry
of Disaster.
SIFT SABOTAGE CHARGE
DirigibIe Not Doomed Yet,
View of Representatives;
Swanson SkeptiCaI.

View of Representatives;
Swanson SkeptiCaI.
BIZ United Press
WASHINGTON. April 5. - The
house naval affairs committee today
voted unanimously for a thorough
investigation of the Akron disaster,
which would include the past his
tory of the navy dirigible and ru-
mors of sabotage during its con-
struction.
The inquiry will be constructed by
the naval affairs subcommittee on
aeronautics. The crash Of the nom
rigid blimp J-3 during Akron rescue
work also will be investigated.
Chairman Delaney Dem, N. "
of the subcommittee said it had
not been decided whether the in
quiry will be held at Lakehurst or
at Washington.
Delaney indicated that the same
group of witnesses likely to be sum-
mone6 before the navy Department.
board of inquiry will be called be-
fore the house investigators. De-
tails Of the inquiry will be decided
by Friday, he said.
Dirigible Not Doomed
Delaney said he was "by no means
convinced that the Akron disaster
meant the end of the dirigible as a
naval weapon. His view was con-
CURED in by Representative Nc
Grath Dem, Cali, of the Subcom-
mittee in whose district the Sunny
vale naval air station is located. The
new dirigible Macon is scheduled to
be based there.
The committee adopted two reso-
lutions, one of sympathy for rel
atives and those who went down IN
the Akron crash, and the other
eulogizing the heroism of the ships
crew.
All the skill of the ablest men in
the United States navy will be flung
into the task of trying to learn why
the dirigible Akron crashed through
the darkness into a storm troubled
sea-
The investigation - demand for
which came today from both navy
and congress-may shed light on
the puzzling problem of whether
the tragic fate of so many dirigibles
Slstif1es mans gallant attempt to
conquer the clouds in lighter-than-
air craft.
Swanson Skeptical of Value
Even while the tragic details of
the disaster still were trickling into
the white, squat building that houses
the navy department here, Secretary
of the Navy Claude A. Swanson ex-
pressed doubt on the value of dirig-
ibles.
I have never been as enthusiastic
as some people are over airships,"
he said. Il think they are very
VENERABLE
President Roosevelt voiced the ma
TONS grief Tuesday night, and
saluted those who persisted as men
who upheld to the end the finest
traditions of the United States
Navy"
Dark rumors of sabotage and
overlooking of the Akron raced
from lip to lip Tuesday night I'M i
Swanson felt obliged to take official
cognizance of them:
Hits at Allegations
"A careful investigation" he said,
later will determine all the facts
that are available. The Akron had
operated with notable success for
year and half and had proved
her sturdiness even under severe
weather conditions.
This service effectively should
refute the early allegation that
sabotage and excess structural
weight had anything to do with this
disaster.
1T still is too early to venture to
outline the departments future
policy regarding airships. The air
problem must still be considered in
the experimental stage in many of
its aspects. But like many other
problems, such as gunnery, which
have taken their toll of life, the
navy has had to undertake and to
solve this problem if possible.
Sympathy Is Voiced
once more the navy has paid the
toll in life and to those who have
been left behind to bear the grief,
I send my deepest sympathy"
He indicated the naval air station
at Lakehurst, N. j., might be closed
as result of the tragedy.
Grief lay heavy on the navy de-
partment today. Not only had the
Akron, pride of the skies and larg-
est dirigible ever built, plummeted
into the ocean, but the bllmp J-3-
floating on an GRAND Of mercy in
search of Survivors-buckled and
carried two Of its crew to death.
Moffett Is Mourned
The navy mourned one of its most
picturesque figures - Admiral Will
liam A. Moffett, chief of the naval
bureau of aeronautics, who was a
passenger on the Akron. For years
this square jawed white-haired man
had dreamed the dream of filing
the skies with mighty dirigibles-
floating houses that defied gravitys
lawS-and to his eternal labor the
navy owed the Akron and the I'M
completed Macon.
Representative Fish Rep, N. "
introduced resolution in the house
Tuesday to create special congress
sional committee to investigate the
disaster. He called upon the de-
partment of justice to make public
the findings of recent investiga-
ton into alleged attempts to sabot-
age the Akron during construction.