Evening star., 1934-08-07
Army Stratosphere Explorers
Lauded for Dramatic Flight

Tributes to the courage and re-
sourcefulness of Maj. Kepner and
Capts. Stevens and Anderson, the three
Army officers who took a balloon
loaded with scientific instruments into
the stratosphere and saved their lives
in parachutes when the giant bag
ripped, are paid unstintingly even
though the expedition failed as a SCI
entific quest.
They wrote a new drama OF the
skies" says the Milwaukee Journal.
"It was a carefully planned adven-
ture," according to the Newark Eve
ming News, "and the fact that the
three men actually involved got safely
back to earth after an exhibition OF
pure nerve that has thrilled the whole
Nation was a most satisfactory out
come" The Tampa Daily Times also
remarks that "cool nerve saved the
three explorers" and the Roanoke
Times offers the appreciation: While
they live they will never be nearer
death than they were when, ten miles
above the earth, their balloon began
to rip, causing the gondola, which had
been their home for the past ten hours,
to plunge crafty downward through
space. The screen has never given US
anything more thrilling than that"
In view of the results, the Richmond
News Leader feels that the event was
oyerpublicized." The New Orleans
Times -Picayune predicts a new "for-
midable attack on the l5-mile level," !"
and holds that "a few more prelim-
mary trials will have to be made be-
fore that is undertaken" The Co
lumbus Evening Dispatch advises that
''the discovery of a way to make air
adventuring safer will insure more fire.
quent and more successful attempts
hereafter, to probe the secrets Of the
stratosphere."
Efforts to examine the mysteries
which lie at raref1ed air levels, the
Watertown IN. " Daily Times re-
calls, have been most difficult and
filled with danger. Prof. Auguste Pic
card. who has spent lifetime in ex-
ploring the upper regions, reached a
height of $4,000 feet, two years ago,
he reports. Lieut.. Comdr. T. G. w.
Settle and Maj. c. L. Fordney hold
the world record at slightly more than
81 .237 feet, but the story of the great
hardships endured at the height OF
twelve miles indicate clearly the haz-
ards encountered. There have been
many other attempts and scores OF
failures"
There is no place on the surface OF
mans earth longer inaccessible, de-
clares the Wichita Eagle, but there
is everything above and below to keep
him busy in exploration" The Cam
ton Repository looks forward to other
attempts, and the Kansas City Star
states: IF science feels there is much
to be learned through extremely high
altitude flying, then perhaps science
will decide through this latest sGra-
tospheric attempt what it may or may
not do in creating great balloons Tor
ascensions to desired attitudes. At
this time. at least, there seems little
else gained as a result of this remark
able episode in stratosphere flying"
On the question as to what caused
the balloon to be torn open, the Tulsa
tOkla) World comments: IAN the
scientific and mechanical knowledge
available for such exploits as reading
the air currents and photographing the
eosnlic rays had been used. Prob
ably cool and daring men viii try II
again. 1t may be that the mechanics
and scientists will be able to figure