The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1914-05-09
<o2D N2PZNGZIITE

CnanL called Glenn Cur \#@J\
tiss, the aviator, aside a few days Nv
days ago and said: "Glenn, we aren't N
going to give this up until we fly "
across it was to be expected that the \
speaker was ready to go to any y
lengths in borrowing money to finance
a transcontinental a~eroplane trip.
He can get a loan from his dad"
many might remark. But let 1t be
said right here that Philadelphia peo-
pie will tell you Rodman Wanamaker
is a much Weather man than his MM
father. Also, before asking a loan RoyraNs
from dad to pay for his flying ma WES5x{{{k
chimes, Rodman might raise some
money on his life insurance. He has
$4,500,000 worth, which is more than
any other mortal, and he adds to it quite often.
"Rodman Wanamaker, son of John Wanamak-
err Is the way he always appears In print; and
as he admires his merchant-prince father i'm
mensely he does not complain. But the younger
Wanamaker (who is now the only SOM would
have gained an eminent position in American
affairs without the boost which his name gave
him. Besides establishing the Wanamaker Paris
branch and later running the New York store,
he has made so many amazingly lucky invest
ments that the fortune he will inherit some day
will be only an item in his ample means.
Rodman Wanamaker enters the transatlantic
crossing arena with all the enthusiasm Of Queen
Isabella and with much better credit.
Lord Northcliffe, Great Britain's leading pub
Usher, has offered a $4,000 prize for the first
crossing of the big pond by aeroplane, SO Mr..
Wanamaker has a chance to, recoup part of the
fortune he may have to place at the disposal Of
the ingenious Mr.. Curtiss: And he can collect a
further $4,000 from Mrs. Victoria Woodruff Mar
tin, an English flying patron.
So when the Wanamaker-Curtiss flyer swoops
OFF a Newfoundland cliff next August with her
eight-cylinder, 200-horsepower engine chug-chug-
ging and Lieutenant Porte, or some other hardy
NAVIGATOR of the Dath1aec unnar DIR M tho 1ybaal
there will be $55 1000 sitting on the west coast
of Ireland and reckoning to the steel bird.
But If there were nothing more at the end
of the journey than Isabella had reason to be-
lfeve lay below the horizon of Cadiz, Mr.. Wanna
maker would have said just the same, Glenn, we
aren't going to give this up until we fly across"
For he belongs to the class of young Americans
born rich who do things; who play six, but work
ten hours a day; and who accomplish what they
set out to do.
Aeroplanes have long been one of Mr.. Wanna
makers hobbies, but he. has many others-life in
surance, automobiles, yachts, fine paintings, and
the American Indian. This last should stand at
the top of the list.
He decided that the noble a~borigine should
have a great national memorial at Fort Tompkins,
Staten island, the highest point Of land overlook
ing New York harbor.
To convince congress that money should be
appropriated for this purpose he set up and
conducted an Indian exhibition in Washington.
Few members of congress after seeing the things
which Mr.. Wanamaker and his friend, Buffalo
Bill" displayed, failed to lose their objections
to the monument project Mr.. Wanamaker won
his fight and was made head of the committee to
select a design and erect the statue. Last year
80 Indian chiefs paid reverence to the Stars and
Stripes at the laying of the cornerstone. Some
OF them had fought the white men, killed and
massacred them through many years. One car
ried 20 bullets in his body. Seeing their enthu-
siasm for the flag, Mr., Wanamaker conceived the
idea of carrying the message of the great sculp-
tured Indian which will stand beside the Statue
OF Liberty to all the 1859 tribes governed by
Uncle Sam. He organized an expedition of citi-
z%enship." This expedition found many difficulties.
In a corner of New Mexico was discovered a
highly intelligent tribe which had never seen or
heard of the flag. Sometimes the members OF
the expedition had to argue long with the Indians
before persuading them that the white men were
no longer their enemies. They had to travel
$4,000 miles, much Of this by stage and horse
back. But they did not give up until every little
nation had received its big red, white and blue
flag of fine material, had hauled up and unfurled
the emblem, and had sworn allegiance TO the
Great White Father.
Another of MI. Wanamaker's pet projects is
the American Art association in Paris. After he
had been graduated from Princeton university
fathers interests In the French capital. He lived
there so many years that he was even accused,
but wrongfully, of liking French life better than
American. He became much Interested In the
struggles of young artistic geniuses from across
the water.
The American Art association had started in
humble quarters and had done a great work In
bringing together the poor young students. Mr..
Wanamaker established the organization In its