Evening Star Newspaper, May 9, 1937, Page 56

Official coronation medal, side bearing likeness of King George VI. —A. P. Photo. By W.A4. M. HE American Navy is going to do special honor to the new sailor King, who will soon be crowned to Britain's throne. For already the U. S. S. New York, flagship of that contingent of Amer- ican battleships that served with the British Grand Fleet in the North Sea during the World War to guard the shores of England, has sailed from these shores. And, representing Amer- ica's Navy and the Roosevelt admini: tration, is that eminent Washing- tonian, Admiral Hugh Rodman, one of the few senior sailormen still spared from the war, who commanded the Yankee battleships that did duty across the foam. And this will be particularly fitting for the coronation, for King George VI is a sailorman himself, as was his distinguished sire. | The New York is back in Britain | again—this time on a peaceful mis- | sion, as the warship representative of the American Government at the| coronation. She outfitted at the Nor- folk, Va, Navy Yard, having been detached from the fleet prior to the war maneuvers that are now going forward in the Pacific. And in Eng-| land she is most welcome, for that | gray battleship aided in guarding Britain's own shores during the peril- | ous war days from the German U-boats, from the Fatherland's battle- ships and cruisers and destroyers. Britain’s late sailor King, the be- foved George V, father of the mon- arch whose coronation is soon to take | place, trod the deck of the New York during those nervous days of the ‘World War, as did the Duke of Wind- sor—the former King Edward VIII. The new King was a junior officer then. ING GEORGE VI had been a cadet at Osborne and at Dart- mouth. He joined the cadet ship Cumberland and visited the West In- dies and Canada. During his younger days he was particulariy interested n engineering. As Prince Albert he was a midship- man on H. M. 8. Collingwood in 1913. He led the regular life on an ordinary Junior officer, stood watches and all the rest of it, even though he was the King's son. When the World War broke over England it found him aboard the Collingwood, but an at- tack of appendicitis sent him ashore soon thereafter for an operation. In 1915 he rejoined his ship, but subsequently went ashore to relieve his father of some of the official duties that were bearing down heavily. For @ time King George VI served in the operations division of the British admiralty in London. As a sublieutenant once more he went to serve, in 1916, on the Colling- wood. Following in his father's foot- steps, he used the telescope and bi- noculars, paced the deck, ate in the officers’ mess, carried out routine drills, stood watches and led the war- time life of an officer in his majesty’s navy. In the battle of Jutland, King George VI played a part, as a naval officer. His ship, the Collingwood, engaged an enemy cruiser, fought off & destroyer of the Fatherland and exchanged shots with another cruiser. Britain's future King was in the foreturret as Prince Albert, little dreaming that a score of years later he would be lord of the éntire British fleet. He was mentioned in the official dispatches of the battle for his cool conduct. In fact, it is related that he made cocoa for his gun crew, as was his wont, during the engage- ment. As Duke of York, King George VI ‘was promoted to rear admiral in 1932. In 1918 he was in the Royal Naval Air Service and a year later he was removed from the active list. In 1920 he was promoted to the rank of commander and in 1925 to captain. He is now an admiral in the British Navy, having come up from a mid- shipman. AND 80 Admiral Rodman and King George VI speak the same lang- uage—the tongue of sailormen. And there will be reminiscing of the grim days in the North Sea, when they were shipmates, out to fight the foe, to keep a wary eye for the Kaiser's warships and his rea:ed U-boats— A scene in Westminster Abbey during the coronation of George V. Battleship U. S. S. New York, flagship of the American Navy during the World War, her way to English waters to participate in the coronation festivities. L. F. Welch, is shown in the insert. THE SUNDAY TAR, WASHINGTON D. C MAY 9, 1937—PART FOUR. AMERICAN NAVY HONORS SAILOR KING Battleship New York and Admiral Rodman, on Great Peace Mission, Will Turn Thoughts of British Royalty to Time When England’s Standard Was Flown Over Amer- ican Man-of-War—Coronation Glamour. e R e Officers and crew on board a welcoming battleship are shown cheering the fleet in December, 1917. stealthy undersea craft, the wolves of the ocean a generation back. There will be chatting of days in the | Grand Fleet, shrouded in mist, some- | where between Scotland and Norway | and they scouting for the enemy fleet | —the Imperial High Seas Fleet of Germany. There will be a discussion of the navy yesterday—and today | —and, mayhap—tomorrow. For Admiral Rodman, the Kentuck- | ian, is a bridge between those World | War years afloat and today, but his service stretches back to the times | of the windjammers—and he will be | able to tell the King some tales of | them, too. But, in all probability, | when Admiral Rodman and King | George VI get a moment !oaether.! the conversation will turn to that | other George that sat recently upon Britain's throne—the Fifth George, the father or him who is to be | crowned. For Admiral Rodman and King George V were good friends and [ spent many hours together during | their strenuous war days. And now, it's back to Britain for the admiral, under more peaceful circumstances. He lives here at the Westmoreland Apartment House, 2122 now on Commanding Officer Capt. The United States ’*'v»":flfm Fleet arriving at Scapa Flow, Scotland, to join the British Fleet during the World War. From a painting by Bernard Gribble. This rare photo was taken during thé Wbrld War ab.o.ard ihe U.S.S. N Westminster turns on the coronation. ew York. lt;vhou}:. le}t‘ to right: Admiral Beatty, Admiral Rodman, King George V, Admiral Sims and the Prince of Wales. California street. On April 28, he | York and she is due back around Mnyl his outfit was en route to the Brm.sh] sailed, with Gen. John J. Pershing, | 30—Memorial day—at Annapolis, Md. | Isles. World War commander of the A. E. F., | Then the New York is to participate | have reached 120 miles an hour. from New York on the S. S. President Harding. Gen. Pershing is also rep- | resenting the American Government at the coronation, as is James W. Gerard, former Ambassador to Germany, who is Special Ambassador | | on this occasion, and left some time ago for England. The President Harding was due at | Plymouth. England, on May 6. Ad- miral Rodman proposed to spend some time motoring in the south of England before proceeding on May 9 to Lordon, where he will stay at the Ritz, as one of the official guests of the King. FOLIDW‘LNG the coronation, Ad- miral Rodman is to stay in Lon- don for a time and then witness the review of the British fleet on May 20 at Spithead, off the south coast of England. The admiral's old flagship, the U. 8. 8. New York, will be in the line of foreign worships, viewing the procession of Britain's floating fortresses. Admiral Rodman is scheduled to re- turn to the United States in the New |in the midshipmen's practice cruise, | | with the U. S. S. Arkansas and | U. S. S. Wyoming. The vessels will visit Germany, Greece and Italy. En route to Kiel the squadron will transit the famous Kiel Canal, the Navy De- | partment announces. The midship- men will leave Annapolis on June 4. Upon their return to these shores, the latter part of August, the vessels will | rehearse and fire short-range battle | practice on the southern drill grounds off the Virginia capes. Commanding the U. S. S. New York | is Capt. L. F. Welsh, U. S. Navy. Ad-| miral Rodman himself commanded the vessel as a younger officer, prior to | his designation as commander of the 6th Battle Squadron of the Grand Fleet during the war. The commander | in chief of the Grand Fleet at that time was the late Admiral Sir David Beatty of the Royal Navy of Britain. One of the worst storms in Admiral | Rodman’s experience was encountered | when a gale overtook the division of | American battleships in November, 1917, off the Newfoundland Banks, as | The wind was estimated to The high wind whipped away heavy stanchions, twisted steel plates and ripped off boat davits. The green seas poured over the decks and ships were tossed about like corks. Frequently the wind shifted. making maneuvering the more difficult. The 28,000-ton New York, flagship of Admiral Rodman, was put to a test, but her makers had builded well and she rode out the gale successfully. As her former commanding officer | the admiral knew her peculiarities. Her commanding officer during the war was the late Capt. Charles F. Hughes, later chief of naval opera- tions, an efficient seaman. RADIO was forbidden on that cruise | of secrecy, so visual signals had to be resorted to. And through the thick weather they were barely visi- ble. Capt. Jonas Ingram, famous foot ball player and coach at the Naval Academy, was Admiral Rod- man’s flag lieutenant. The American fleet of battleships reached Scapa Flow on December 7, | 1917. They were cheered by Admiral! Beatty and the officers and crew of | | H. M. 8. Queen Elizabeth—and other units of the British fleet. | And then the Americans in the North Sea served under Admiral— later Earl—Beatty. Around the Ork- ney and Shetland Islands, north of Scotland, the American warships, un- der Admiral Rodman, played hide and seek with Kaiser Wilhelm's U-boats. | But the watery battle line extended to Norway and the Skagerrack—and Denmark, with Heligoland occupying | & very prominent part in the picture. | For a year Admiral Rodman served in the Grand Fleet and was able to say | later that “there was never the slight- | est friction, petty jealousy, misun- | derstanding or any serious personal | obstacle to overcome. ‘The American warships adopted the British signal code, visual and other- | wise, and even the secret code of the ; London government was utilized. The | American battleships were assigned | one of the two fast wings of the bat- | tleship force and until the end of the | conflict held this important position. At times Admiral Rodman served | under Britlsh admirals who were his superiors. At others he was com- manding British junior admirals. Doubtless he will meet many of them in London and they will reminisce over their days together during the hectic war time in the drab North Sea— how the American warships became integrated with the British Grand Fleet and operation went smoothly. Upon one historic occasion during the war the American squadron was in the vanguard, leading a projected | attack on the German high seas fleet, | but the seamen of the Fatherland thought better of it and changed po- sition before contact actually was made. And s0 the American battle- ships were deprived of the honor of | leading the British warships into | battle. PERIODXCALLY. the American bat- tleships had brushes with the German U-boats. The flagship New | York was rammed on one occasion and her bottom dented and her star- board propeller demolished. On her way into drydock to get repaired three torpedoes were launched at the HELIUM TAKES NEW ROLES AS AGENT IN SAVING OF LIVES Rare Gas, Owned Largely by American| Government, Has Been Found to Have Great Value in Caisson Disease and Breathing Needs. THE United States Government important a factor has this affairs Committee, a few days ago, to let several patients die because he respect to the value of the gas in had had five cases “where the heart expensive that few persons can afford congressional committee in support the gas by a Federal committee. If available in the Government plant at be put to work saving life and health highly efficacious. world, exclusive of that which eman- clusive of small quantities to be found United States, and the sources of the has been urged to sell helium natural gas become in saving human Dr. Alvin R. Barach of Columbia had been unable to obtain helium, treatment of asthma. Dr. Barach was stopped, and was revived by the treatment. of a bill providing for the sale of this bill is passed upon favorably, it Amarillo, Tex., could be utilized to & in flelds where experimentation fis The United States owns practically ates from the sun’s rays or comes in Canada and Mexico. Helium is gas are owned by the Government, By Lucy Salamanca. at cost for medical use, so lives. Before the House Military University testified that he had had and contributed interesting facts with stated that, in the last 16 months, he use of helium.” Yet helium is so Dr. Barach appeared before the helium at cost, and for repurchase of will mean that the vast resources now great extent in medical therapy, and proving this curious element to be all of the available helium in the directly from the sun itself, and ex- produced commercially only in the the plants deriving it are Government operated and controlled, and the dis- tribution of the product is in the hands of the Government. June, 1936, the plant at Amarillo, Tex., had turned out 73,350,975 cubic feet since April, 1921, with a pro- duction of 4,663,355 cubic feet from July, 1935, to June, 1936, according to testimony offered by the United States Bureau of Mines at the recent hearings. Of this amount about 25,000 cubic feet have been supplied to the United States . Public Health Service, which is co-operating with certain hospitals throughout the country in the medi- cal use of helium. Persistent re- quests by doctors and hospitals for the gas for medical use indicate a new and growing demand that the Government is making ready to meet. use of helium for medical purposes is practically new in the history of therapy. And the dis- covery of its importance in this fleld is the result of extensive experiments conducted by the United States Public Health Service, in co-operation with the Bureau of Mines, extending over a period of years. The experiments began when Dr. R. R. Sayers, assigned to the Bureau of Mines from the Health Service, began a series of investigations with W. P. Yant, associate chemist of the Bureau of Mines, and J. H. Hilde- brand, professor of chemistry of the University of California and consult- ing chemist of the Bureau of Mines, to stud} the use of helium-oxygen mixtures in the mitigation of caisson disease. This disease results from working Up to | under compressed air in caisson or diving work, when decompression to normal atmosphere takes place too quickly, and thus the abundance of gases produced by an excess of oxy- gen in the blood have not had time to escape or disperse, forming nitro- gen bubbles. These nitrogen bubbles are especially dangerous if they locate in the brain or spinal cord, where they may give rise to paralysis or | death. The formation of such bub- bles produces what divers and tunnel workers term “the bends.” It was to eradicate this disease, or make | it less prevalent, that the United States Public Health Service and the Bureau of Mines began their studies of the effects of helium as a thera- peutic agent. "THE United States Navy was also interested in such investigations, for methods of eliminating or miti- gating the hazards of diving work were important in connection with salvaging and marine engineering op- erations. The use of the gas in producing synthetic helium-oxygen atmosphere was given credit for the successful salvaging of the hull of the United States submarine 8-51, which was accidentally sunk near Newport by the coastwise steamer City of Rome. As a testimonial to the work of the scientists of the Bureau of Mines in developing this new safety factor in diving operations, the ship's bell of the ill-fated S-51, salvaged from the depths of the sea, was presented to the Bureau of Mines by the naval commander who had been in charge of the salvaging operations. The bell, retrieved by Chief Torpedoman Francis Smith from a depth of 135 feet, is now mounted in the lobby of the Pittsburgh experiment station of the Bureau of Mines. It is the first tribute to helium as a life saver. Following the salvaging of the sub- marine by the use of artificial helium atmosphere, further experiments were conducted upon animals and revealed many interesting facts about the properties of this curious element that pointed to its value in restoring nor- - mal breathing functions to individuals who were suffering from any of the respiratory diseases or acute attacks | of any nature retarding breathmgi operations. BY COMPARING the solubility of helium and nitrogen, the experi- menters discovered that hellum was not only possessed of the advantage of lower solubility, but of greater diffusivity than nitrogen. Since it is the nitrogen that is breathed in dur- ing compression that is responsible for bubbles forming in the blood, it occurred to the experimenters that such a gas as hellum, which was less soluble and diffused more widely, if substituted for the nitrogen, would eliminate the possibility of the dis- eased condition known as “the bends.” Helium, as the lighter of the two gases, they felt, would diffuse through and come out of the tissues and body fluilds more readily than nitrogen. With this in mind, they experimented on white rats, and later on guinea pigs, making comparative tests with helium and with nitrogen. The re- sults of these tests gave relative data that can be applied to men with a fair degree of accuracy. Small ani- mals were found to stand more rapid decompression than man. ‘The periods of exposure varied from one to five hours, to study the effects of the helium. For the purpose of de- veloping and exaggerating any dele- terious effects the same animals were subjected to repeated exposure. Some were later killed and examined for pathological symptoms, and the re- mainder were observed for several weeks for the development of any unusual symptoms. The tests were conducted in an especially constructed pressure chamber, in which the effect on the subject was the same as in a diving suit under water. A comparative examination of all results of these tests gave clear evie dence that the condition of animals exposed to the helium-oxygen mix- tures was far better than that of ani- mals who had been subjected to nitro- gen-oxygen mixtures. It was ascer- tained from these tests that divers or < Salvage Work and Diving Operations Made More Effective Through Methods Which Utilize Rare Element—Tribute at Bureau of Mines. men working in tunnels under com- pressed air could work for longer periods and descend to depths beyond the practical limits with compressed air when a mixture of helium-oxygen, instead of the nitrogen-oxygen of nor- mal atmosphere, was breathed. HE investigators were then in- terested in learning how these conclusions might be turned to ad- vantage in other fields of medical therapy. One of the first problems that confronted them was to learn whether this natural gas had any deleterious effects on body tissues. Tests of its physiological effects were carried out. The same animals that had been used in the first tests were used again and were exposed from two to four times for periods varying from one to three hours to a pressure of 10 atmospheres. These tests were all conducted within a period of three to seven days. The animals were then killed for pathological examination. One case showed degeneration of one kidney and spots on the liver—find- ings not uncommon in guinea pigs. The remainder were found to be ap- parently normal. Four other guinea pigs were exposed on eight consecu- tive days to a helium-oxygen mixture at 10 atmospheres’ pressure for one hour, and decompressed in 25 min- utes. These animals were observed for four weeks, with no apparent ef- fects or symptoms. To ascertain if any discomfort would be occasioned the human being by breathing helium, the gas was inhaled by several of the investigators for periods up to two hours. There was no noticeable effect, except a tem- porary rise in the pitch of the voice. The gas was found to be as agreeable and pleasant as normal air. The peculiar properties of helium gas and their effect upon the human | body have been turned te account by | physicians everywhere, and there is | a growing tendency to rely upon this | element in cases where the patient experiences difficulty in breathing the | ordinary atmosphere of nitrogen and oxygen. Patients who, because of asthmatic or other respiratory diseases, cannot inhale or physiologically con- sume ordinary atmosphere to retain the spark of life, have been found to respond with almost miraculous ease to the properties of helium-oxygen atmosphere. One of the greatest drawbacks to the use of the gas as a therapeutic agent has been, heretofore, its great expense. But whereas in 1917, when hellum first became important as a gas to be used as a lifting medium for balloons and airships, it was selling in small quantities at the rate of $2,500 per cubic foot, it is now pro- duced at the Bureau of Mines Amar- illo helium plant in millions of cubic feet, with operating costs of less than 1 cent per cubic foot. China Turns to Ancients. CHINA, no stranger to famine, has decided to go back hundreds of years to the days of the ever-normal granary and will establish a system of nation-wide storage points which will have a capacity of 400,000,000 bushels of grain. For several years the government has been studying the problem of developing ample stocks of millet, rice, wheat and kaoling. Details are still to be perfected. { tennis were on the schedule. ligts in preparation for the —Wide World Photo. Official coronation medal, side bearing likeness of Queen Elizabeth. A |New York, but she escapeds destru tion Off the coast of Norway, on an occasion, enemy subma f the New York, but deft mane saved the battleship In those stirring days the New Yor and her sister warships plowed the way through heavy seas, with ing snow, slashing hail and high winds beating down upon her at times. With« out lights, the vessels had to ma- neuver under these trying condit. and navigation was indeed difficul It was no place for green seamen. Mine flelds of the Germans beset their 1 path and they had to keep a wary eye out for these, as well as the tell-tale periscopes of the U-boats, or the bub- bling track of the deadly torpedo. But there was some relaxation. Ashore and afloat some form of ath= letics was indulged in. Base ball, track meets, fencing, boxing, golf and Enter« tainment aboard, movies, small dances, vaudeville and music whiled away some of the dreary hours. The high com- mand realized fully the value of morale —more potent than guns. 'HE New York is remembered grate- fully in Edinburgh, Scotland. For while overseas she followed out the custom of the American Navy and held open house for poor children at Christmas. When the war was it its height the New York was in Edine burgh. One hundred and twenty-five children, orphaned for the most part by the war, were guests of the officers and enlisted men on the gayly-decked ship. The tots were given presents and entertained royally. Christmas dinner. with all the trim- mings—American style—was presented to the undistinguished visitors, more welcome than blue bloods. In addi- tion, two shining silver shillings—"two bob"—were given to each child. And | now those erstwhile children are grown —and mayhap some of them will be in London or the south of England for the crowning of Britain's King and Queen. With throbbing hearts run- ning more quickly they well might gaze upon the New York—symbol of the Babe of Bethlehem during the dark, dreary war. The officers of the American Navy received many invitations to stay with the wealthy Britishers during brief periods ashore during the war. King George V visited the New York many times officially. He made a searching inspection of the vessel, and with the keen eye of a sailorman he looked her over and pronounced her in shipshape. When George V was the Duke of York he was crossing from Halifax in a speedy battle cruiser and went down into the engine room and threw a few shovelsful of coal into the furnace. Admiral Rodman recalled this during one of the visits of the monarch to the New York and asked if he would do as much for his vessel. The Emperor of India bowed down like any stoker, and with a brand-new shovel threw some coal into the furnace of the battleship. The “black gang” showed their appreciation of his majesty’s democracy by appropriate recognition and displayed his picture on a bulkhead. Admiral Rodman, over coffee and cigarettes, would entertain the King of England in his cabin when the monarch visited the New York. The Prince of Wales often accompanied him. THE Queen Elizabeth was Admiral Beatty’s flagship, and thither Admiral Rodman went often, to confer with the high-ranking naval authori- ties of Britain. When King George first visited aboard, over the New York floated the royal standard of Great Britain. Walk- ing along the deck on that occasion, Admiral Rodman said: “Your majesty, this is a historic day and a proud one for us, for this is the first time in history that the royal standard of Great Britain has ever flown officially over an American man of war.” Admiral Rodman has been accused of being “very pro-British” and gladly admits to it. For back in the early days in China, at the turn of the cen= tury, he came to know the might of Britain first hand. [