Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-08-17
Invisible
Vibrations.

Did Andrew Carnegie believe in
airplanes?
Perhaps before the steel magnate
great beyond last week he had be-
come used to the sight Of the far
flying planes, and had become a con-
vert to mans conquest of the air. But
it is certain that many years ago he
did not believe in flying machines"
as they were called then.
Years ago it was understood by
scientific men of the National Capital
that Andrew Carnegie, the steel man,
who had developed a taste for giving
away large sums of money to help
out the worlds progress. was willing
to give big bequest to the Smith
sonian Institution here.
Now. a donation from Carnegie was
not to be sneered at by any institu-
ton. Accordingly. there was a tacit
understanding on the other side that
if Mr.. Carnegie wanted to make such
a donation. expected to be several
millions of dollars. the institution
would gratefully accept it.
A dinner was planned. to which
prominent scientists working in
Washington were invited. Prof Lang
ley. then secretary Of the Smith
sonian, presided at the dinner And
the dinner went Off in fine shape.
Carnegie beamed. Everybody beamed.
Prof. Langley, who was to be de-
folly" and later regarded as the
father of American aviation, got up
and told of his dreams of the con-
quest of the air. With scientific ac-
curacy he detailed the means by
which the conquest of the air was
chimes. With the fever of the dream
er he told of what that conquest
would mean to the world in peace
and war.
AS he talked carnegie's canny eyes
regarded the speaker keenly. The
ended. and shortly thereafter the
banquet. Carnegie left the hall with
a group of close friends.
THAT settles it," he said. "I will
not give my money to an institution
headed by a man who is fool enough
to think he can fly"
So he founded the Carnegie Insti-
tuition here.
boy nature" said a government Of
fetal. just returned from his vaca-
ton. lis the same the country over.
These bright faced small boys here in
Washington are brothers to the thou
sands of bright-faced boys through
out the United States.
1T believe in boys, and believe that
they are honest and decent when given
a chance. / back them every time.
was party to a striking example of
boy honesty on my trip down to the
shore.
1.-THE train pulled into a little town.
much like other small places you see
as you go by on trains There was
little. ugly station, a few warehouses
and dirt streets striking out at right
angles.
LAS our train came to a stop for
minute my companion said he wished
he had an ice cream cone. 1t was a
hot dusty ride. and his suggestion of
ice cream appealed to me, too.
"Let's get OF and get Them II
said.
Haven't enough time he replied.
Then / noticed two boys standing
beneath our window. Ten or eleven
years old-short trousers-clean shirts
lows I have been talking about. The
American boy, IL you want to call him
that.
Here I called to the boys. Can
you get US some ice cream"
'.The boys smiled and replied that
they would try. but didn't think there
was time enough.
".Here's 20 cents replied. Get us
two cones and buy yourself some. II
the train pulls out. then eat ours. and
have 10 cents for your trouble.
ayes, SIR said the boys. and were
of like two shots down the street.
you'll never see them again, said
NV companion. We watched the boys
as they ran down the street, but soon
lost sight of them in small crowd. OF
people.
They've eun off down that side
street. said nv pessimistic friend.
Nothing Ok the kind said. There