The Mena weekly star. (Mena, Ark.) 1904-1977, 1919-11-13
A|RPLANE' VISIT
WAS GREAT TREAT
Nething but Word of Praise Heard for
the Exploits of Lieut.. Johnson, and
Those Responsible for Bringing
Him to Mena.


Mena and vicinity over the coming of
the airplane on Armistice Day they
have been keeping mighty quiet. Ev-
erywhere thruout the city the COM
ments made on the first airplane
fight ever attempted in this city We're
highly favorable, and included praise
as well for those responsible for
bringing the sky pilot to Mena.
That due credit is given Frank
Fried post of the American Legion,
and the Mena Commercial Club for
their enterprise in getting Lieutenant
johnson and his "Bluebird" here, is
evidenced by the remarks made thru
out the business district Wednesday
Nearly everyone who saw the flights
the day previously, exprest hope
that the time would soon come when
another birdman would come to Mena.
The afternoon flight of Lieutenant
Johnson was the best of the days ex-
hibitions. With his engine working
better he drove his machine over al
most the entire city and gave nearly
everyone an opportunity to see his
work. For an hour the wonderful
mechanical bird swooped and circled
and winged It's way IN the heavens to
the amazement Of the thousands who
craned their necks to watch.
There wasn't any of the difficult
tricks in aviation that Lieutenant
Johnson failed to perform, and the
thrills the crowd received will not
soon be forgotten. One of his nose
spins appeared as tho he was headed
straight downward to Mena street,
and while the crowd held its collective
breath and feared smash, the Blue
bird swooped gracefully upward and
in an instant was looping the loop.
One old timer, who was watching
closely the first airplane fight he had
ever seen, exprest it all when he said:
Its flying just like an old turkey
buzzard."
After he had travelled sidewise, up
side down, given the falling leaf and
nose and tail spins, and in several
places swooped down to within less
than so feet of the ground, Lieut..
johnson drove his machine back to the
landing field.
1t is estimated that fully 1000 per-
sons made the long trip to the land
ing field to see the airplane during
the course of the day.
After concluding the afternoon
fight, Lieutenant Johnson and his
pilot, Lieutenant Miller, asceaded and
started for Dardanelle, where their
next flights were scheduled. They
came to Mena by the air route and left
the same way.
Night Meeting at Courthouse.
Owing to the illness of his wife and
child, Abe Collins, former prosecut-
ing attorney for Polk county, could
not not leave his home at DeQueen
and deliver the expected address in
Mena on. the evening of Armistice
Day. An eleventh hour appeal for a
speaker resulted in Judge E. w. Mills
consenting to make a talk to the
crowd which assembled in the circuit
court room at the courthouse. Com
mander Grady Forgy of the Frank
Fried Post, American Legion, pre-
sided and introduced Judge Mills.
In the course of his talk, which was
on the general topic of 100 per cent
Americans, Judge Mills called atten-
ton to one thought which was warmly
applauded by the audience. This was
that the U. S. A. is too great coun-
try to be dominated or overthrow by
{ any set of men who are in opposition
10 that fundamental of our govern
ment-the constitution. He praised
the work of the American Legion and
predicted it will have an important
part in shaping the reconstruction
work following the war. Judge Mills
also called attention to the influence
the agricultural population of the
middle west states will have in solv-
ing the problems of the day and pre-
dicted this win be greater than any of
the present organized bodies.
Follow Judge Mills talk, which was
greatly appreciated, the Rev. T. A.
Park took charge and on behalf Of the
Red Cross received memberships for
the annual roll call.
The Legion Dance.
To close the celebration of Armis-
tee Day the legion members gave a
dancing party at Elks Home from 8
to IL o'clock Tuesday night. About
oO couples were present and an enjoy
able evening was spent. Music for the
frafr -.
Iomlinson, piano; Ed Reeves, drum;
l. M. Taft, cornet, and J. w. Gardner,
Jr, violin. The committee in charge
on behalf of the legion consisted of T..
r. Duke, Ohio Ozment, G. B. Wilson,
and Little Riding. Chaperones were
Mrs. Hal Norwood, Mrs. w. J. Lauck
and Mrs. Sam Riding.