The Morgan City daily review. (Morgan City, La.) 1916-1920, 1919-06-02
Hawker's Disappointing
Attitude

When Harry G. Hawker'5 rescue
was reported last Sunday all thu
world rejoiced There was not on,
discordant note By no other trib
ute could humanity have 50 emphat
ically and unequivocally voiced IT:
genuine appreciation OF the daring o.
his remarkable effort to fly acros:
the Atlantic. The fact that he tool
no precautions whatever, in the way
Of arranging for patrol vessels along
the route to provide for his safety
in case he should be compelled to de-
scend to the water. had proven con-
clusively that he, as we'll as his navi-
gator. Lieutenant Commander Mac
kenzie Grieve, had the sort of pluck
and resolution that always commands
admiration.
The effort proved Hawker to be a
real sportsman. and, + he had won
in his desperate plunge through the
ether, America would have given him
unstinted praise. even though the
achievement would have somewhat
dimmed the glory of the accomplish
ments OF our own naval aviators, who
were then enroute to Europe with
every evidence Of a successful trip.
however Hawker was playing a
game in Which there were at least
hundred chances q one against
him, he lost. 1t was bue natural for
him. he lost. 1t was but natural for
his failure, especially since, as it now
appears, it was due to no fault of his
own but to engine trouble of sort
which could hardly have been antici-
pated. And then too for the Ameri-
can plane (the NC-4) to complete the
trip SO quietly and SO provokingly
soon after his misfortune-before
even the keen edge Of his disappoint-
ment had been dulled by time, was al
SO hard for him to bear. However,
even though these facts are appre-
cited, il is real disappointment to
find, judging from press dispatches,
that Harry Hawker is not a God
loser; that he really lacks in that
quality which is SO essentially part
of the thorough sportsman, the abil-
ty to lose gracefully as we'll as to
win daringly. The report that in
London. yesterday. Hawker spoke
disparagingly Of the great feat of
the NC-4 in successfully completing
the last leg Of the transatlantic trip
is distinct disappointment to Amer /
lea. as it doubtless is to England and
all the world. No one appreciates
real craftsmanship, or possesses
more of the genuine article, than
does Briton, and it is significant
of this fact that the London audience
before which Hawker made his I'M
fortunate remarks--which audience,
by the way, had few minutes be-
fore heartily cheered the news OF the
arrival of the NC-4 at Lisbon. Por-
his unsportsmanlike
words with absolute silence. Doubt
ess Hawker was overwrought at the
moment. and yielded momentarily
only TO an impulse at variance with
lis finer instincts, regretting If keen
y moment later. At any rate there
S no question as to the genuineness
# his courage in facing almost GER
ain death for the accomplishment OF
great purpose. and if is to be hoped
hat the incident cited will not Sc
iously be-dim the glory OF his great
fort nor deter him from the final
accomplishment OF his purpose of
demonstrating to the world that
on-stop transatlantic flight is pos
ible not merely as a stunt, but as a
ocular commercial transportation
MERCHANTS WHO HAVE I