Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-08-06

LOCKPORT, ILL.,, Aug. 5 (NA.N.A)
II would rather have die don the
ice in the Arctic than live through
the years of ostracism and disgrace
by my country which followed the
crash of the Italia and the subse-
quent events and criticism the last
II years."
Umberto Mobile, commander Of
the Inflated difigible, was talking
Now grayed and bald, the deep-set
eyes of the one-time italian hero re-
vealed the almost vicious feeling
within his heart.
Talking is something Mobile (pro-
nounced No-bee-lay) has done little
of since Mussolini broke him from
the rank of general and caused him
to be silent the last II years.
Mobile never was given chance
to defend himself against the
charges following the Italia crash
But now, as he sat in the office Of
the superintendent of the Lewis Holy
Name School of Aeronautics, just
outside this small Illinois town, he
explained three important events OF
the crash and acts which followed
for which he was blamed. In the
Middle West of country he plans te
adopt as his own, he at last was free
to reveal some of the innermost Sc
crets of the disaster and his own
personal feelings.
Once a Hero, Then Solitude.
Once he had been hailed as the
hero of his country. Then came the
public rebuke and-a life of misery
and solitude. But he said he was
happier now than he had been fol-
many years. He was looking for.
ward to his new task as head of the
engineering department of the
school. job obtained for him
through his friendship with the late
Pope Plus XII.
At first he preferred not to tall
of the Italia disaster So he re-
lated the events of the flight of the
Norge over the North Pole to Alasks
in 1926 when he served as navigator
for Road Amundsen, the noted Nor.
wegian explorer who later lost hi.
life in an attempted rescue of Mobile
following the crash of the Italia
"It was not such difficult figh
on the Norge" he said. 1--WE movee
from Rome across the top of tn,
world to Alaska and then acros!
this country" Then he became
tense, emphatic and even dramatic
Il could have retired after tina
flight in the Norge. I had fame
I had honor. I had the love ane
respect of my countrymen. I coule
have lived life of peace and en-
joyment on what had accom-
plished.
Little Dreamed of the Result.
But I wanted to do more Their
was yet much to be learned in thu
Arctic So I organized the secont
expedition with the Italia. But hae
I ever thought such an ending woule
come to that second expedition
that this should happen to me? Blu
they were wrong, they were wrong
and they never gave me chance
to defend myself against those ugl.
charges"
The 54-year- old hero and explore
picked up piece of paper from tn
desk of J. H. Wilson, the schoo
superintendent. He found the stul
of pencil and his hand tremblet
slightly as he traced crude mai
of the vast Arctic regions as on
might draw a plot of back yard
He was preparing to illustrate tn
fight course of the Italia. the crash
the rescue. He indicated the bas
of operations, Kings Bay, Spitz
bergen. The lead of the pencil
formed a dot. THE North Pole,
he said.
Then he started drawing a lin
from Kings Bay. 1t was the cours
of the Italia. The pencil lin
touched Greenland, then headed TO
the top of the world.
1.-The weather was not the best
but we were all happy as we neare'
the Pole" Mobile related. Our thre
engines were roaring their challeng
to the icy wastelands. Then "
were over the Pole, success at last.
Mistake Leads to Crash.
The weather changes rapidly Il
the Arctic and the plan to hav
Mobile and two men land on the ic
to make meteorological observation
had to be abandoned. A cross, give
to Mobile by Pope Plus XII to b
dropped tthe Pole, was tossed over
board. Mobile then revealed the frs
mistake.
knowing the weather was bad 70
the return flight to Kings Bay, an
the ship would have to fight head
winds on the 1900 kilometer trip,
proposed the best thing to do woul
be to head for Mackenzie, 200
kilometers away on the North Amer
lean continent. We would have ha
favorable winds and all been safe.
would have meant the dismantlin
of the ship and ended the possibilit
of any more flights.
There was discussion of whic
course to take as the ship hovere
over the top of the world. DR.. Fin
Malmgren, the Swedish meteoro
logist, maintained the thing to d
was return to Kings Bay. I con
sented, although it was against m
better judgment.
1.-The result of that decision wa
the crash! The meteorologist di
not have the facilities that now ar
available from which to draw on
weather maps. 1t is too bad. D.
Malmgren is dead now.
1--WE headed the big bag for King
Bay in a northland enshrouded 1
fog, binding snow and ice. The fo