The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-05-30
ATTACK
ON SEAPLANE TRIP
CAUSES BAD TASTE
Washington Wrought Up Over
U~nSpOrtSmanIike Attitude
Of Flyers Attempt to Be-
little Navy'S Feat.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
The News Seimitar's Special CORE.
~spondent.

WASHINGTON. May 30.-"Hawker is
a better flyer than he is a speaker.r
rms was the way official folk were in
Sllhed TO look upon the speech made
by Harry R, Hawker, in London, in
Which ne said the achievement Of the
Ohlted states navy in crossing the At
lantic by airplane was not "a serious
attempt, with a ship stationed at ey-
cry 20 yards"
Naturally the published report of
Hawker's speech provoked considerable
comment, but cabinet officers deemed il
Improper to say anything publicly about
1t, though they did not conceal their
Shag11n, They noted especially that
the British audience received that part
OF Hawker speech in silence after hav-
ing cheered enthusiastically a few min
untes before when the statement was
made that American aviators had sue
ceeded in reaching Europe through the
air. viz
Naval officers generally were sur
prlsed at Hawker's comment because
they say it was SO inconsistent with the
craftsmanship so characteristic of the
British navy and people. Some went
SO Iar as TO make excuses, wondering
IL Hawker'S meaning had not been
abridged by the brevity of the published
quotation, though it was argued on the
other hand that the Americans repre-
sentlng the Associated Press who were
present must have received a full i'm
preston OF what Hawker said before
writing the dispatch.
Not in Competition.
If there had been some competition
between the American and British ma
yies and comparisons were in order.
Hawker's observations, coupled with
congratulations to the Victors. might
nave been regarded as hardly in such
pad taste, but the United States navy
cohslgered itself to be in no way in
VOWED in the privately managed ON
test in Great Britain. When Hawker
was thought to have been lost at sea.
the British admiralty itself was criti-
clzed for not having spread a chain of
boats across the Atlantic to safeguard
IiS anu the enterprise Of the
american navy was held up in the
same connection as an example. The
British admiralty was in no way re-
sponslble because the flight was pri-
Vately organized for a money prize, 1t
was said here today that had the Brit
,sn aumlraIty asked the cooperation Of
Lne American navy in supporting Haw-
kers Journey, 1t would have been glad
ly granted.
The best of feeling prevails between
the arr forces of the United States and
treat Britain and whatever may be
faa~kers thoughts after having
Ialleo IN the transatlantic flight, naval
otflcers here were quite sure that the
British navy felt as happy over the
achievement of Commander Read as
Americans felt when, they thought
f1aWker was going to succeed. The
generous praise and tributes which
poured forth from American
without exception and the genuine de-
sire Tor Hawker to succeed, especial
~ because of his daring, were con-
trasted today with the report of the
British aviator's speech and expressions
Of rgret were Heard OH many sides that
ne mad given utterances to sentences
such as were cabled from London.
enthusiasm over the accomplishment
OF the American naval aviators con-
Lnued and it Is fully expected that
Great Britain will give Commander
head a hearty, welcome when he
reaches Plymouth. The navy depart
ment takes considerable pride in the
achievement but wants 1t always under
stood that the flight was not under
taken merely as a spectacular stunt but
as a part Of the program for the de-
Velopment Of aerial navigation.
Early last February the whole thing
was carefully planned. Placing the
destroyers at every 50 miles was not
because of any effort to keep up the
courage of the aviators or lack of faith
IN the motors but to keep the navy
department constantly advised and to
make as complete report as possible
of all the facts and circumstances con-
nected with the journey so that every
lesson learned with respect to weather
conditions and the behavior Of airplanes
or such long flights overseas might be
carefully noted.
-Four Liberty motors were on the
NC which crossed the Atlantic sue
cessfully, and the other two navy planes
which were wrecked each contained
tour, OF the same kind of motors. None
OF the motors gave trouble during the
Journey as the loss OF the NC-f and
NC-3 was due entirely to weather con-
ditions and other difficulties entirely
apart from the engine. Indeed, the
naval authorities here are more en-
thusiastic than ever over the achieve
ment of the Liberty motors and it was
their turn today to say II told YOU So"
for just a year ago this month con-
gress was saying things about the Lib
erty motor which made the public think
it was a gross failure,
Not only did the Liberty motor win
the approval Of the highest authorities
on the French front before the arms
tice came but it is the first airplane
motor to cross the Atlantic ocean,
Copyright, 1919, by the New York
EVapinY Dot