The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-10-24
WORDS OF PRAISE \ FROM VISITORS
 ON BALLOON RACE
Military Attaches Enthusiastic In Praise of Hospitality and
 Birmingham As An Aero tI
 nautical Center

states representatives, in attendance at the international balloon race, were high
 ly pleased at the success of the event the hospitality of the city and the excel lent facilitits in Birmingham for staging
 balloon races.
 Some of the visitors who had opposed the race coming to Birmingham said they were completely taken by surprise at the wonderful manner in which the event had been staged, and declare should op- portunity offer they will cast the.r sote and influence for Birmingham unre- servedly as suitable location for any aeronautical event.
 The following statements were given out last night:
 ALAN R. HAWLEY
 Alan R. Hawley, Representative of the Aero Club of America, said
 'I congratulate the city of Birmingham and those who did so much to make these events successful. 1 do not know of asi international balloon race where the starts were made so promptly. Seven oal- Icons left in twenty-eight minutes, which is a very unusual record. There was essf' friction and less excitement than I have ever seen at any of these international events.
 The crowds were well handled At a rough estimate l would say there were 4G0o0 people to see the races. This, 1 believe, is bigger in proportion to the size of the city than has ever been re- corded of balloon races anywhere. Personally I want to thank everyone concerned for the kindly aud liberal and generous treatment I have everywhere received; and my only regret in having come down is the fact that the week have just spent here has passed like a day, and at my age in life 1 cannot af- ford to have time slip away so quickly. "If it should be Americas good for tune to win the trophy this year, ,-and ir next year Birmingham should feel like staging the start of another international race, you may rely on 1t that any influ- erce I have will be used to secure the event for her" A COL. ALEXANDER GUIDONI Col. Alexander Guidoni, the attache< of the Italian embassy, said:-
 Had it been possible for the Italian ambassador to have prolonged his stay in this country another week., he would
 have been delighted to have come down
 here to share with our pilots the inagnifi- | cent hospitality accorded to our ensre contingent by the people of Birmingham !
 'As it fs, I desire to say, on his behalf, how much I appreciate what all of you
 the Chamber of Commerce, the clubs or your city and all your associations, pub | lie and prvate-have done for us. It was most gratifying.
 'I want also to express my appreciation of the chivalrous way in which the Amer
 ican contestants assisted us; they have done so much. Even Major Van Ostrand brought our pilots an oxygen set, and mask for use on the journey if neces- Sary. r ''The geological survey andN the post office departments have helped immensely
 by the gift of valuable maps. and we
 have enjoyed the cooperation of the weather bureau, whose accurate forecasts
 and reports have so generously been
 placed at our disposal.
 We were naturally touched by the ex- pressions of affection and good Will shown us by Italian residents of Blr- mingham and the suburbs They have ben very kind to us While they realize
 that as Americ;an citizens their nrst drought should be of America, 1t is only natural that they should still possess a deep attachment for the old Italian fatherland it's uniform and it's flag q regard Birmingham as 9 city viths| a wonderful future. In few years look, for it to be one of the leading cities. | if not the leading city. or America
 CAPT. DE LAVERGNE Captain De Lavergne. the military a.- tache of the French embassy. said: 'I think 1t is very important to have an air port in Birmingham, be- . cause Birmingham is one of the great i est cities in the section between Wash ington and the south "On an aerial mail line from Wash ing. say, to New Orleans, Birming- ham would be an important link. and such line would be of vast ad- vantage firstly, in the, transportation O. mail and eventually in the trans portation of passengers and freignt pe- ttween the leading cities of thes south I and such big business centers as Cni- cago and New York "As I figure it out now, trip that consumes thirty five or forty hours would require only sixteeni that is an important item in. America, where busi- . ness Is done so quickly I was fnter ested in reading of the discussions or the principal air mail routes beforeN Congress to see that the Alabama sen ators took a leading part. The great feature of air transportation Is its rapidity, and this is also the leading | feature of American business.
 "Speakirg of the balloon races, iwant to say how absolutely stunned- I TO expression conveys so well how vel ! have been overcome by the nospllanay of YOU southern people. I have never experienced anything so magnificent. Our pilots have carried away in theft hearts, as I will carry away tho memory of the delightful time spent l in this splendid city of Birmingham My only regret IS that cdhnot Std | longer. should like so much to havs
 v.stted your steel plants. Next tims I will see then.''
 COL. DU BOSCH
 Colonel Du Bosch. the Belgian At- ttache, who had just a few minutes Ds. | fore starting for an engagement ~ the Country Club, said:
 Please convey to the people Of Bir- lmingham my heartfelt gratitude and also the gratitude of our pilots fof the charming-highly charming I've have had in their city. OnlySyester day our pilots spoke to me of the gen erositv with which they had been and 1 were being treated. and those of you who were out at the field this after noon saw for yourselves just how deeply they had been touched by tue hindncsses showered upon them.
 .rWe will all be delighted to com back to Birmingham in the event there lis another international race here. aii l--riease say this as strongly as yoa can for me-if we should be lucky enough to take the trophy to Belgium the American contestants who follow tContisued on Page Ten)