AFTER ARRIVAL

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 149, 27 June 1930, Page 11

AFTER ARRIVAL

SMITH AND HIS CREW

FACING NEWSPAPERMEN

COMEDY IA T INTERVIEW

(Received 27th June, 2 p.m.)

NEW YOBK, 2Cth Juue.

A crowd of about 5000 followed behind the flyers as they .were being led from the machine and these surrounded (ho pavilion, which fortunately was from, two sides .protected by a stout metal fence; The police cleared the' [doorway, and a line of. automobiles, to ! carry •■ the . party : back- the : twenty-mile .distance to the city was drawn up at the front., dpor with .police; striving to keep the lane open to-the machines. The Southern Cross, which looked clean and unmarre'd after her strenuous trip, was immediately' hitched to a tractor and to;we"d into. a; hangar, a large, ground crew" keeping souvenir hunters off.' / ; ■" ■ -;; ■- ■-;..'■■■;■ , ,■„• . :

Due to the late arrival of the Southern Cross, all plans for reception by the Mayor in New York were cancelled. The flyers go immediately to the Hotel Roosevelt in New York City to rest, and .to-morrow in their street clothes, which are awaiting them at the hotel, will go to the City Hall in the forenoon for the civic welcome.

Smith,- 'inter viewed-by newspapermen, said '.that 'liis; condition was.; excellent, except ' for deafness, which is usual arid not: a cause."for; worry. ."J was really in, fine shape when1 I loft this morning," ho said, "but now I begin to feel tired." Asked whether the Atlantic or Pacific flight was the more difficult, he said: "The navigation of the- Pacific was moro difficult, but the weather in the Atlantic is a greater trial."

Asked what ho attributed his success to, he said:- "Splendid preparation," and then he added: "It will bo better next time." But he declined to explain "next time." Smith denied that the instruments were unreliable during the bad hours over Newfoundland. "The instruments were not altogether bad," he said. Van Dyck said: "We are going to Chicago on Saturday morning, and thence to San Francisco."

Asked whether the roughness of the welcoming crowd frightened him because he appeared reluctant to leave the fuselage, ho said: "I enjoyed the roughness.''

The reporters were commenting on the flyers' lack of luggage when Van Dyck said .brightly: "We shall buy some." Then suddenly turning toward Smith, ho shouted: 'How about it, Smithy? Are we going?" in a thick Dutch accent.

/There was a laugh from everybody, and that brokd up the interview.