The evening world., 1919-02-04

And Eddie" had never taken his
'S,s from her face while the bIliIuum
was iInging with the cheers Uf his
friends.
81 never had anything happen In
ali my life that made mo NOR.
proud Miss Rickcnbackcr said. and
me pride was still sparkling IN her
flashing eyes.
IL was the happiest boy In the
world when my mother came in" de-
clared Capt. RickcnbaCkcr, pausing in
the work of writing his autogrnp ph
which tho "fiends" craved even at
the banquet table.
Mako you think OF going up in
the air?"
at was a thrill. but a different kind
of a thrill"
But for all OF the thrill. the excite
mcnt and the wonderful reception.
Mrs. Rickenbacker proved herself 10
be the kind OF mother one would
expect to be the mother OF such son.
| Her hair. a near red, was parted In
the middle and combed back over her
ears, revealing a high forehead, and
+ the glasses she wore added an eN-
| preston of bcnignity to her come!y
face. She must have been thrilled
often by the noble words she heard
uttered by men OF the, army and
others OF the deeds of her boy. but
she didn't show the feelings which
must have been consuming her.
/ Here was the message which Secre-
tary of War Baker handed to the
toastmaster to be read, the message
Icing signed "Pershing:"
"rhe history OF the American AIT
Service on the western front is as re-
markable for its sound and successful
| development OF aviation tactics as for
its spirit OF unseltish devotion and
daredevil gallantry, which Is unsur-
passed by anything the great war has
produced. Capt. Eickenbacker has
written some OF its brightest pages
and on behalf OF the American FIX
pcditionary Forces | am proud 70
bear witness to our admiration for
the Air Service and for HIM"
This brought another tremendou'
cheer, and Toastmaster Congressman
Ireland OF Illinois said that while
Rick" had changed his style OF hi
headgcar, the size of his head hadn
been changed by his successes in tn
air. Major Gen. Charles T. Menoher
who commanded the Rainbow Divi'
sion while It was in action, and wh'
Is now Assistant Secretary OF Wa
paid a wonderful tribute to Capt
!
the war. and also 10 the American
Army. and especially to the dough
boys.
There Is no question" he said
that the American Army was the de
iermining factor in winning the war
Three days after We stopped tn
Boche at the Marne we took the ini
t!ative and kept 1t until the Boch
sued for peace.
"On thu next drive we were goin
10 tho Rhlnc and nothing could hav
is,oppcd US. TO the doughboy al
honor is duc. The front lines wer
going 80 fast that the airplanes wer
nowhere 20 be seen We didn't hav
the alrpldDes. but those behind wer
working as hard ns possible 20 &c
them to us, and when the doughhoy
looked up one day and saw more tha
hundred OF them overhead. 80
Ctn't imagine the effect IT bad on IN
morale o. our men
"The man in the air took his III
in his hands every time he went NJ
and none more 80 than tho man "
nre here 10 honor tonight, and
deem II one Of the geratest OF honor
- Oc here tonight 10 help honor IN
Ace OF Aces produced by this war
Secretary OF War Baker told HOY
we went into tho war With 100 per
sons in the air service and less tina
100 airplauCs. "On Nov. H." he sail
I'VE had 4S65 airplanes In this coun
try and Gaze IN France, most OF IN
latter being foreign made. But "
had them. and in the service wer
1858 officers and l3276o men. Th'
Is the tirst occasion have had c
helping to honor our home comm
men. and | honor Capt. Rickenoacke
in the double capacity OF my poaiNo
and Hs citizen Of his own Stat
Spcnklnr as n citizen, I want to say
The war Is over and Il was ende
ns military victory. on the limo {
tho Mouse and Argonne, the otenslv
was brok,n down In July The Gel
mans were on tho defensive In Nd
vcmbcr and had they not sued II
peace they would have heen route
and driven across the Rhine Amer
can soldiers are to-day guarding boz
sidcs OF the Rhine and our airshiI
nv ahovN them. And our guest, CAP
Rlckenpacker. was one Of those WI
ghve his youth and Ventnred deaf