Editorial: Explaining the disaster
Quickly from the ashes of the tragic Hindenburg has arisen a haunting swarm of questions: What caused the disaster? Was it the deliberate sequel to threats and warnings? Was it sabotage? Or was it accident, structural defect, blunder, atmospheric condition or what?
We suspect the answer was burned in the flames. But that does not absolve all concerned from making thorough investigation, and already there are no less than four inquiries underway. Of them all, it seems likely that the one made by the German authorities will hold the spotlight. The Germans will be impelled by a special emotional drive. The Hindenburg was their ship, their pride.
Ambassador Hans Luther is collecting evidence. Dr. Hugo Eckener, ranking world authority on Zeppelins, is on his way here, hazarding an advance guess that there is a 53% chance it was accident, 47% chance of sabotage.
The duty to investigate to the very bottom, rests primarily upon this country, upon the Navy and the Department of Commerce. It demands unsparing patience and alertness, with a complete elimination of buck-passing or search for a scapegoat.
Germany and the United States share a common loss of life. The postmortem examination is a challenge to international cooperation. As American officials proceed independently, they have the obligation to make available every item and every facility to the Germans, in order that they may satisfy themselves fully on any point they wish to know. Only by the most forthright inquiry can the public be satisfied, and the public in this case is the whole world.