Evening star., 1939-04-19
Col. lindbergh's S
Yelled
In Secrecy
Believed at Work
On Survey Behind
Locked Doors
BY JOSEPH S. EDGERTON,

SdAlcu W dCIlFe OuCy Dy Cne war
Department to make a survey OF
American aviation research facilities,
Col. Charles A. Lindbergh today was
believed to be at work in a locked
and closely-guarded Office adjoining
that of Maj. Gen. Henry H. Arnold,
chief of the Army Air Corps. in the
Munitions Building.
The War Department refused to
confirm or deny reports that Col
Llndbergh had slipped unobserved
into the Office before the arrival of
other Munitions Building employees
this morning. The presence of an
armed guard outside the door of Gen
Arnolds Office. however, is said to
be without precedent.
The guard several times warned
bystanders not to loiter in the corri-
dor. An airmail letter addressed to
Col. Lindbergh was delivered
promptly to the locked Office shortly
before noon.
Nearly a score of news photog-
raphers, some of them arriving as
early as 8 am. waited at the Num-
tlons Building for an opportunity to
photograph the flyer on his way in
or out. Early arrivals were taken
in charge by guards and escorted to
the Office of Col. H. H. c. Richards,
chief of the Air Corps Information
Division.
Photographs Forbidden.
Later arrivals were required to
leave their cameras at the guard
desk, following receipt of orders
said to have been approved BY
Secretary of the Interior Ickes.
These forbade the making of any
photographs in the Munitions Build
ing without special written permis-
sion from Charles A. Peters. chief of
the buildings branch of the National
Park Service.
Newsreel photographers addressed
a round-robbin letter to Gen. Ar
mold requesting permission to make
a picture OF Col. Lindbergh at his
desk on promise that he would not
be molested thereafter.
The request was returned disap-
proved. although it was announced
that the War Department Informa-
ton Division would ask Col. Lind
bergh whether he would consent to
ltnervlew reporters and pose for a
picture during the day. Later this
request also was refused.
Although it is understood Col.
Lindbergh's call to active duty was
arranged before his departure from
Paris. the greatest secrecy has sur
rounded his movements in WASH
ington. Even Air Corps officers
outside of Gen. Arnold's own Office
were unaware that Col Lindbergh
had been called to duty prior to a
brief announcement issued late yes
terday by Secretary of War Wood
ring.
The formal order of assigning him
to the Office of Gen. Arnold said Col.
Lindbergh. with his consent" had
been ordered to report "by direction
of the President"
COL Lindbergh visited the Air
Corps headquarters late Yesterday to
arrange for an inspection trip OF
research centers on which he will
make confidential report to Gen.
Arnold
Will Visit 30 Centers.
Col Lindbergh is expected to visit
about 80 aircraft research centers In
the next three or four weeks. The
War Department co-operated in
helping preserve the aviator's desire
for anonymity, declining to disclose
his itinerary or say how long he
would remain on duty.
Secretary Woodrings unexpected
decision to have Col. Lindbergh
make the survey came just as the
Army is starting to build up its
Air Corps to 5000 planes. Aviation
experts recently told congressional
committees Germany was building
better planes than the United States
because of better research labora-
tories.
That opinion. however, is not
unanimous among official experts.
Recent Army experimental craft,
they assert, actually are faster and
better in certain other respects
than German planes.
Air Corps officers expressed graft
fication over Col. Lindbergh's ac-
ceptance of his important assign
ment. While in Europe he had
made voluntary study of aero
nautical matters. especially in Ger
many and Russia, devoting much
of his attention to aeronautical re-
search. His findings were reported
to the National Advisory Committee
for Aeronautics, of which he has
been a member for a number of
years, and to the War Department.
Familiar With Progress.
AS result of these studies, ac-
cording to associates here, Col.
Lindbergh probably is more familiar
than any other American citizen
with the research progress which
(Coo : TNInpEDCC poro AAN