LINDBERGH’S WELCOME

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 June 1927, Page 7

LINDBERGH’S WELCOME

SCENES AT WASHINGTON PRESIDENT’S TRIBUTE (Australian & N.Z. Cable Assn.) (By Cable—Press Assn.—Copyright.) WASHINGTON, June 11. The most stupendous welcome ever accorded an individual American was given to Captain Lindbergh on his arrival in the cruiser Memphis. Practically the entire population of the Capital and hundreds of thousands of visitors, many of whom had lined the streets since dawn, broke into a huge roar of greeting, and continued their cheering in a fine frenzy of excitement from the moment the vessel appeared in sight. The dirigible Los Angeles with scores of Government and private aeroplanes, escorted the Memphis into dock. Guns and sirens from launches and other craft, and from the shore, saluted the airman at the cruiser proceeded up the River Potomac, and a Presidential salute of twauey-one guns was fired at Alexandria, the seaport on the right bank of the Potomac five miles southward from the Capital. Captain Lindberglj’s mother was the first to board the cruiser, whereon Robert Nungesser, the brother of the lost French airman, also greeted Captain Lindbergh. Captain Lindbergh was escorted at the head of a. great parade through the city. President Coolidge bestowed on him the Distinguished Flying Cross. When decorating the airman, President Coolidge referred to him as “Our Ambassador without a portfolio.” The President said that ’“the showering of applause and honours upon this genial, modest American youth, with the naturalness, simplicity and poise of true greatness, France had an opportunity to show clearly her good will for America.” The President paid a high tribute to Captain Lindbergh’s refusal to commercialize his feat. Captain Lindbergh has to face a week-end crowded with functions and celebrations, after which he is due in New York on Monday for a mammoth welcome, which, it is expected, will exceed even Washington’s effort. The latest offer made to Captain Lindbergh is a salary of one hundred thousand dollars yearly as the head of the American Society for the Promotion of Aviation, on which no decision is yet announced.

MILLIONAIRE DROWNED. NEW YORK, June 12. Dalzell McKee, Pittsburg multimillionaire, was drowned in an aeroplane which dropped into a lake in the Laur.ention mountains. Deceased was a remarkable person in business and aviation. He had devoted the last five years to developing the trans-Continental and other flights carefully hiding his identity in these undertakings. He was testing a plane for a flight from Montreal to Alaska, when the machine broke in twain, during a squall over the lake. MINISTRY CRITICISED. LONDON, June 12. The newspaper “Observer,” in an editorial, examines the American enthusiasm over the recent transAtlantic flights, and condemns the British backwardness in civil aviation, which is attributed to “our official refrigerators,” otherwise the Air Min!stry, which allowed Carr and Gillman to return from the Persian Gulf mi welcomed and unhonoured. “Our aerial ought to match bur naval reputation.” the Observer states, “yet other countries do not consider us in the first rank as a flying nation. The Air Ministry’s spirit is too military and imposes cramping restrictions on design and enterprise in civil flying. Out of eighty world’s air records, Britain holds not one, yet orders follow records. For instance, Canada is ordering aeroplanes from the United States.” i RELIABILITY TEST. LONDON, June 12. Thirty-two Air Force bombers, fully armed and manned, commence on Tuesday, a forty-eight hours’ Continuous reliability flight around Britain. DE PINEDO’S PROGRESS. LISBON, June 12. De Pinedo has arrived from the Azores.