Evening star., 1936-07-19

rigid airship construction and opera
tion Is included in preliminary report
made by the Air Commerce Planning
Committee of the Business Advisory
Council for the Commerce Department.
At the same time Rear Admiral Arthur
B. Cook. new chief Of the Navy Bureau
of Aeronautics, while inspecting the
German airship Hindenburg at Lake
hurst, expressed the hope that the
Navy might acquire a new Zeppelin
type airship. The Navy, he said, has
no intention of further curtailing its
lighter -than-air training.
On the same day these significant
statements were made public the Hin
denburg gave q dramatic demonstra-
ton of the complete reliability and air
worthiness of a properly handled
modern airship when she took of for
Germany in the face Of thunderstorms
which had grounded air transport
planes carrying Hindenburg passengers
from New York to Lakehurst.
While the passengers were on the
way to Lakehurst by automobile, the
Hindenburg was riding out the same
storms easily at the Lakehurst mast.
As soon as the passengers arrived and
were aboard the Hindenburg was re-
leased and rose amid encircling
thunderstorms at midnight to start
the last half Of her fifth round trip
between Germany and the United
States and her fourteenth ocean
crossing.
The Commerce Departments COM
mittee urged as a program for i'm
national airship policy calling for con-
struction and operation of airships in
commercial and naval service. the
drafting of legislative program for
consideration by Congress, restoration
to flying status Of the U. S. S. Los
Angeles and the training of naval and
commercial rigid airship personnel.
AS soon as enabling legislation can
be obtained and private and Federal
funds provided, the committee adVo-
Gates, the country should undertake
construction of an East Coast termi-
nal for commercial transatlantic
operations, construction of two large
rigid airships for service between the
United States and Europe, construc-
ton Of q new rigid airship for the
Navy for training purposes and OF
smaller experimental Navy airship.
The committee pointed out that no
commercial passenger ever has been
killed or injured in an airship in this
country or abroad, although more than
2S0000 pay passengers have been
flown. The Graf Zeppelin alone has
made more than 120 ocean crossings,
carrying more than $4,000 passengers.
1t was pointed out that existing
naval policy calls for the building and
operation Of rigid airships to deter
mine their usefulness for naval and
governmental purposes and their COM
mercial value 1t also is noted that
the merchant marine act OF 1885.
creating a Maritime Commission as
an Independent governmental agency,
provides for the inclusion of lighter
than-air vessels within the commits
sions jurisdiction.
The committee suggested that COM
merial rigid airship operations be car
ried on by private capital, with Fed
eral subsidies. if necessary, subject to
the airships being made available as
auxiliarieS in a national emergency.
I'VE are of the opinion" the COM
mittee reported, that the airship has
q definite place in international over
seas transportation. 1t is an inter-
offers certain speed. comfort, safety
snd capacity"
It was pointed out that the great
success of the German airships has
brought about q change in American
public opinion The committee ex-
pressed the opinion that millions of
Americans are asking why this country
cannot build and operate airships If
Germany can do 1t.
telephone stations, one of them at
Washington Airport, is being COM
pleted by pennsylvania A1rlines, oper-
ating from this city TO Detroit and
Milwaukee.
Some Of the new stations, replac-
ing earlier, obsolete equipment. may
be in operation before the end of the
week. The local stations will be COM
pletely modernized between August /
and IS. 1t will be In charge Of ]. o.
Urquhart and it is anticipated that
two additional operators will be taken
on as his assistants so that three shifts
may be operated.
Under construction permits granted
by the Federal Communications Com
mission, the new installations are being