Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 14 October 1940 — Page 10
PAGE: 10 Ll.
GE on A CRATE, OUR BOYS WILL FLY
Maj. Williams, Taking - Heed of Adventurous Youths Who Taxied Planes to Halifax, Chafes at ‘Moss-Grown’ Restrictions: on Pilots.
By MAJ. AL WILLIAMS Here's a story I am going to tell you as it was told to
me,
w a commercial airport.
The locale was an Army Air Corps airdrome, adjacent Word drifted from “unofficial”
sources at the airdrome that large sums of money would be paid by an aircraft corporation to young men who would ferry Army airplanes (by Presidential edict classified “obso-
lete”’) to Canada. The word of flying money spread like a prairie fire, sweeping the commercial airport, its restaurant, dingy dark corners of the hangars, and to the canvas sun worshipers who frequent hangar fronts, Flying men rose in a swarm to the promise of money. They needed it, always have needed it and probably always will. What would they have to fly? What type of crate? Could they fly it? Just imagine! - Could they! Why they, American men with wings, § could fly any- 2 thing with wings. <lhs No gold stripes Williams on their sleeves. No gold or silver wings: on their breasts. But if it has a motor, and the motor keeps running—“ride ’im cowboy.”
World Was a Parade
The zero day, with the hour yet in abeyance. Crowds of foot-loose and wing-free airmen congregated in an Army hangar. They saluted no man. They knew rank when they saw it, because high rank had lots of brass and a hard face—to say nothing of a bossy voice. Still, they saluted no man. The world was a parade to them, and all men were mere men. Fifty A-17A’s to be ferried to Canada—a neighboring nation at war. What's an A-17A? = No one seemed to know. One adventurer opined it was an all-metal lowwinged, two-place plane used for ground attack. Retractable landing gears? ‘‘Sure,” said one chap. “How do you get the gear wp and down again?” asked another. “Who cares,” replied a flying third base ccach. : Murmuring and bantering, these adventurers of the air were ready for anything, and a little money for doing something they would have done for nothing—just for the
~—tumet flying something new and
to a destination they had never
Seen. The door opened and the aircraft corporation representative entered.
$250 for Each “Boys,” he said, “there are 50 . A-17A’s to be ferried to Halifax—
$250 to each pilot for the job, and a return flight in DC-3’s, at no expense. Who wants to go?” The 80 men stepped forward with machine-like precision. The nearest 50 got 'the jobs, because the rear 39 couldn't climb their backs. Each %ith his own helmet and goggles, his own maps. his own wits and that gay grin of the American airman. Couldn't ask too many questions because the aircraft corporation man might suspect they had actually never seen an A-17A. Cautious questions to the Air Corps mechanics. most of whom were newly graduated from mechanics schools, brought further doubts. Knobs in the cockpits were lettered. They indicated the landing gear, propeller control, gasoline cocks, starter, gun controls (the 50 A-17A’s were fully equipped with guns). Fast thinking, a little luck—and most of the lads, who had been brought up in the cockpits of Cubs, Wacos, Stinsons, Aeroncas, etc., settled down into their first seatings in a military ship. Contact! Some knew the starter controls, and motors burst into action. was a pressed everything until they got to the starters. onto the field. One took off and the rest followed. The air was full of America’s first-line Citizen Flying Corps. - *Boys Just Flew ’Em
Army men had to be trained arduously to fly such mighty warplanes. But “our” boys just flew ‘em. "Fhe performance of these 50 gal1ant commercial pilots upsets and
indicts the moss-grown military and | &
naval routine for flight training. Thousands of young and adventurous Americans are aching to fly such ships. But enough ships are not available, and furthermore,
cross-country flying and acrobatic ;
practice are restricted critically for Army and Navy reserve pilots. Scrap all this nonsense about re~trictions. Get our young men into the air. Let them fly, and fly courageously.
Some were slow and there |} little fussing while they |;
WARDEN BOOKED AT CITY SESSION
James Johnston of Alcatraz To Address Teachers On Oct. 25.
There will be more variety than ever before on the programs of this year’s annual convention for Indiana school teachers. Besides noted educators, leading figures in the theater and in penology will be heard by 15,000 teachers during the convention Oct. 24 and 25. . James Johnston, warden of the Federal Penitentiary at Alcatraz, will speak at a general session in Cadle Tabernacle Oct. 25. Warden Johnston will share the platform with Dr. Edwin Lee, University of California. At the same time in Murat Temple, Cornelia’ Otis Skinner, one of the most noted actresses of the legitimate stage, will present modern dramatic sketches. A choir of 600 school pupils from throughout the State will present a program at one of the meetings. Departmental meetings and sessions of groups allied with the Indiana State Teachers Association will be held all day Thursday, Oct. 24. : The vanguard of educators will arrive the day before for the meeting of county superintendents of schools in the Lincoln Hotel.
AMATEUR CHEFS ON LEAGUE'S PROGRAM
The male aptitude for the culinary
art will be shown by example Oct. 22 and 23, when members of the Society of Amateur Chefs don aprons and high-starched hats at the Murat under the auspices of the Electric League of Indianapolis. Local fathers are mot exactly strangers in their own kitchens, but heretofore masculinary exhibitions have been private affairs on such occasions as wifely vacations and cook’s night out. The four Amateur Chefs who are coming here from New York are Tony Sarg, mural artist; James Montgomery Flagg, illustrator; William Rhode, cookbook author, and Ben Irvin Butler, magazine and food editor and director of the society. Roy Brown and Walter O. Zervas, both of the league, are in charge of
arrangements.
TANKS SUBJECT FOR ENGINEERS’ DINNER
Atomotive engineers of Indiana will learn more about tanks and automotive equipment in modern warfdre at a meeting at the Hotel Antlers Thursday night. There will be a dinner for members of the Indiana Section of the Society of Automotive Engineers at 6:45 o'clock. At 8 p. m. Lieut. Col. J. K. Christmas of the U. S. Ordnance Depariment will talk on tanks.
They taxied out ;
Eo re PI evryn \ LLU EE CETL — WHEN YOU ARE in the ak Ls something ye
Rr TR Co. “at 231 W. Washington St.
INSPECT..... VICTOR YALUES!
—They're Money Savers!
Notebook ol
FAMILIAR QUOTATIONS
Who wrote:
"A friend is a person with whom | may be sincere”
From Emerson's Essay on Friendship.
Shirley Service is a friendly service in the
full meaning of Emerson’s verse.
Here you
may discuss intimate problems of funeral arrangement in an atmosphere of friendly
understanding.
Shirley Srothers
“TRULY
FUNERALS
RIVETS TO BUILD D
EFENSE OR BULLE
We need planes, ships, tanks, guns—need them for our own defense. We need lots of them. We are spending billions for them now. Let’s be sure we get quickly what we need. Let’s be sure we are spending for arms to defend our soil, but not to intervene with wars on foreign soil. And above all, let's keep our weapons while we're getting more. Let’s defend America by aiding America!
The real man without a country—ready to grasp at any wild schemes—is the man without food, a job, a home. Let's fix this sore spot. It’s our first line of defense against our first attackers—the armies of Hitlerism, Fascism, Communism which are working even now to destroy us from within. Let's make our democracy work, and prove and «in ...now!
AMERICA
GEN. ROBERT E. WOOD,
DR. A. J. CARLSON WILLIAM CASTLE
JANET AYER FAIRBANK JOHN T. FLYNN HENRY FORD | GISHOP WILBUR E. HAMMAKER
GEN. THOMAS HAMMOND
ALICE ROOSEVELT LONGWORTH
ELLs Our representatives in Congress get their powers only from «s. Remember our representatives have the sole right to declare war! They must stay in session until sane, sensible foreign policies are firmly established. Let's insist that the President listen to our representatives,and that they listgn to us—for PEACE not WAR—FOR DEFENSE OF AMERICA FIRST!
Acting Chairman
JAY C. HORMEL GEN. HUGH S. JOHNSON CLAY JUDSON KATHRYN LEWIS
RAY McKAIG
HANFORD MacNIDER THOMAS N. McCARTER
STERLING MORTON OR. ALBERT W. PALMER WILLIAM H. REGNERY
THINK, AMERICA!
YOU CAN DECIDE IF YOU
ACT NOW!
WE BELIEVE: .
1. The United States must build an impregnable defense for America:
2. No foreign power nor group of powers can successfully attack a prepared America;
3. Our government's sending more of its own ships; planes, and materials of war
to a belligerent overseas, dangerously weakens national defense af home and threatens to involve America in war abroad.
4. American democracy can be preserved only by keeping out of war in Europe and Asia;
Desens at home ; : : or war abroad? That is the most important question that America has ever had to answer. And yox have to answer it. Every loyal American must an-
swer it before it is too late.
Our future. . . our democracy that Americans hold most dear, depends upon
making the right answer.
Today the decision is yours. Tomorrow the
decision may not be yours.
At this very moment we find ourselves threatened with self-made “emergencies” . involve us in a war with Japan (and instantly thereafter in the European conflict). Nobody even pretends that sucha war would be in our own defense. We would have everything to
lose. Nothing to gain.
This Committee believes that the overwhelming majority of the American people demand Defense. But they do not want to engage in a war thousands of miles from home . .. do not want American youth sent abroad to Europe or Asia to be killed or crippled.
Some people would have us believe that war is inevitable. That is not true. It is not inevitable. Thedecisionisstill yours. The idea is also being deliberately spread around that if we do not soon enter the war abroad, ve will beinvaded from overseas. That is sheer hysteria. No competent military authority believes it. And no other idea could do more to undermine our true defense. No idea would better serve those who would welcome the picture of an Ametica, vulnerable and
ineffective.
The America First Committee believes that our
FIRST COMMITTEE
R. DOUGLAS STUART, JR., National Director
CAPT.EDDIE RICKENBACKER LESSING J. ROSENWALD EDWARD L. RYERSON, JR. | R. OOUGLAS STUART, JR. LOUIS TABER MRS. BURTON K. WHEELER OR. GEORGE H. WHIPPLE
This Committee is non-partisan; its work is supported entirely by voluntary contributors of time and money.
ANY CONTRIBUTIONS--DIMES OR DOLLARS—WILL HELP US CARRY THIS MESSAGE TO MORE MILLIONS
vis everything
’ *
first duty™is national defense. We need guns; We need men. We need tanks. We need ships “enough for a two-ocean navy independent of any other power. Let nobody take them away from us. Let nobody give them away. Hysteria can sweep us into war. It can blind us to the real problem, that of defense. But it can be stopped if we keep our heads and make our democracy work for us while there is time.
‘Remember, that Communism, Fascism, Nazism —all types of dictatorship —are the products of war, not of peace! Our entry into war would not destroy them; on the contrary, it would make American ground more fertile for their spread.
that may
Today, while Congress remains in session, you have a voice and can make it heard. Your Congressman and your Senatorarein Washingtonas your elected representatives. But they cannotact onyour wishesifthey do notknowwhattheyare. Read the message below. Act on it before it is too late. It tells you how you can help DE FEND AMERICA ; ; (FIRST:
If you want to stop this drifting toward a war we do not want and do not need to make us safe—if you believe that such a war would be national economic disaster—if you feel that our Army, Navy and Air Force should be built up as a means of strong defense instead of costly intervention—if you want to keep and defend democracy in America for all true Americans—if you are convinced : ; : then ac?, now! This is what you can do. Write your Congressman and your Senators today. Let them itnow your sentiments. You have a right to tell them. and they have a right to know. Don’t wait! Tell them today—a post card, a letter, a telegram. . . just so you speak up! GET THE NAME OF YOUR CONGRESSMAN AND YOUR SENATOR FROM YOUR LocAL Post OFFICE! WRITB THESE MEN—YOUR REPRESENTATIVES IN WASHINGTON—TODAY! TeLL THEM (1) To KEEP THiS COUNTRY OUT OF WAR, (2) To KEEP Our WEAPONS FOR OUR OwN DEFENSE. (3) TO STAY IN SESSION UNTIL A SANE, SENSIBLE FOREIGN PoLICY IS FIRMLY ESTABLISHED.
— We NEED MORE HELP TO SPREAD THIS MESSAGE NOW!
One way you can raise your voice is to fill out and mail this coupon. For if we know you agree with us, we can suggest ways to make your opinions more effective. If you want to send a contribution, that’ s fine! We need money to carry on this work—every $1. 00 will help—but don’t let lack of a contribution hold you back from mailing the coupon! Act now—let’s get going —there’s no time to lose!
Yes! I agree with you and want to do my bit in helping to preserve our democracy. Tell me what I can do to help build a better, happier America! —an America strong and unafraid! Send me more information.
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