New-York tribune., 1919-10-18
Praying Man
Always Wins,
Says Maynard
''Lord Placed an Engine
Only Ten Miles From
Me TO Help Me on My
Way" the Pilot Declares


famous "Flying Parson" rested last
night at Cleueldnd preparatory to qvhat
army air service officers hope aViU be
las t1iumphai arriudl at Mineola this
afternoon as the lcinncr Of the air race
across the continent aud back. He fcar
yesterday from Wahoo, Neb., aohere he
came do1Un on Thursday aOith broken
motor crunkshaft, to Clcueland, and will
take of from there at dawn to-dav for
Roosevelt Field.
OMAHA, Oct. 17-"It's tough this had
to happen when l had the race almost
won. 1t seems as though luck had
turned against me, but my wife is
praying for me and I've got to win.
I'm going to win"
That is the spirit of Lieutenant Bel
vim N. Maynard, the Flying parson,"
who is leading the transcontinental
air race, as he expressed it just before
he took off from Wahoo, Neb.. to-day.
"Im goins to show the world that
man can win with luck against him."
he went on. Just to think that New
York was only short ride away from
me- Why, it was almost staring me
in the face, and then the engine broke
would 'cuss,' but Pm not 'cussng,' Pm
winning. I'm not approximations
man. or would have taken this to
mean defeat. 1t only means that
must work harder and win. | have got
to make the prayers of my wife come
true.
"She is in this race as nue. as +.
She prays for me night and day and
that alone is enough to make me win.
Her prayers for my success have
helped, for the Lord has laced an
~v,I IL
me on my way | am bound to make
New York by Saturday noon.
II have prayed for that, and l know
that praying man will always win.
There is no such thing as can't. Can't
never did q thing. My mechanician
and myself look at everything with we
will
NC-4 Man Helps
eve were flying Thursday at about
115 miles an hour, and were about $500
feet above ca level when the engine
stopped. We made a perfect landing.
The machine came down as if the en-
CINE had been working all the time.
The crankshaft had broken near the
centre of the motor.
II wired to Washington for permis-
sion to use another plane. Word was
sent to me that Lieutenant Roy Fran
els, who crashed to earth at 1utan,
Neb., would let me use his motor
''Soldiers were already on the way
from Fort Omaha to bring it to me
on trucks. Ny mechanician and my
self Immediately began to lift our Lib
erty motor from our plane. 1t was a
ard job. 1t generally takes days to
lift motor and do good iob but we
the race. Then luck began to be with
Us again. Ohm Haitman, who was in
the naval aviation service and worked
with the NC-3 and NC4 when they
made their transatlantic flight, was
sent by the State Highway Commission
of Nebraska, where he was employed,
to aid US in changing the motors.
"The motor had been making an
average of 1900 revolutions minute
thirty-seven hours. Bad luck, to GER
tain extent, is due all of US, and we
must expect it.
To Go Back to Ministry
"Motor trouble is the largest diff
starts in an airplane motor the fiier
Immediately should descend and start
repairing. To keep flying with motor
trouble will mean death in the end. A
man must not be superstitious when
flying.
"Some people here in Wahoo' asked
me if | thought it would be bad luck
to take the motor from Lieutenant
Francis's plane which crashed to earth
and use it in my machine. told them
was not superstitious; ! may win
the race with the Francis motor. Who
can tell?
"When the war broke out | was q
student in theological school in North
! Carolina l knew a great deal about
motors and l enlisted in the branch
Of the army in which thought woulc
be of the greatest aid to democracy
The reason | started to be a minister
was that l felt it was. my calling.
will go back to the ministry when
am discharged from the service"
/E3,U sto,1y of fiUbf nm Inst DnOe