Elbert County tribune., 1921-10-14

president of the congress. He accepted the posi-
tfon turned over his business affairs to his partIer
and went to work. The first step to get
twenty-five Omaha business to back the
project for $1,000 each. This easily done.
1t was also easy to get the Endorsement of all
Omaha business and social organizations.
speakers bureau formed to educate the cti
Eens Arrangements to raise funds for financing the
congress were made. Attention then turned
to the preparation of program worthy of the
occasion.
landing field large enough to stage the program
little thing like this. however, did not deter the
air men. who located farm of 1876 acres showing
possibilities field, although 1t uneven and
contained $50 large trees
field day" was duly announced, and the air
men and their friends rolled up their sleeves and
with the assistance Of two Holt caterpillar trac
tors donated for the occasion, pulled the trees
leveled the land.
An open drainage ditch traversed the center of
the field which lies on the edge of of the
residence districts, only fifteen minutes ride from
the heart of Omaha. The city council was Induced
to vote unanimously to build covered sewer
through the field at cost of s21 600. So the
problem Of a flying field satisfactorily solved
In the meantime office force was busy mall
ing thousands of invitations and pamphlets to
the air men and celebrities, such President
Harding. Marshal Foch, Orville Wright Glenn
Curtiss and Judge X. NJ Landis.
The graduates of Fort Omaha balloon school,
the center of Americas wartime banooning,
invited for their first reunion Squadrons and
OF myers were asked to hOl0 their first
reunions in Omaha. The fifty-two American aces
were invited, well everyone else interested
In aviation.
The aid of Kansas City enlisted in sending
the American Legion convention delegates on to
Omaha The Endorsements of national headuuar-
ters of the American Legion. of the Aero Club of
America, of the Worlds Board of Aeronautical
Commissioners and of the Aircraft Manufacturers
Association were obtained. The cooperation of
the Army and Navy air headquarters asked
for and received
The railroads helped out by Offering a fare and
half rate for the round trip from all parts of
the country to Omaha. Gutzon Borglum, world
famed sculptor, offered commemorative medal
design symbolical of the work of the American
air man during the war, his bit" James
Hanley, song writer of New York. wrote a special
song praising the work Of the flyers to be sung
for the first time at the congress.
In preparing Its program, Omaha had a piece
of good luck right at the outset As every
knows, the Pulitzer Trophy Race became the
worlds most famous air event with its first run
ming in November of 1920 at Mitchell Field. New
York under the auspices of the Aero Club of
America. There were twenty-five Army. eight
Navy, seven Marine Corps and civilian
trants In the contest. The winner Lieut.. c.
@. Mosely of the Army air service, who flew 1872
miles In a verville-Packard machine at average
speed of 17S miles hour. The Army
of the first ten places in the contest and the Navy
two. There 10000 spectators, including celeb
rifles from all walks Of life.
Well. the Pulitzer Trophy Race for 1921 had
been scheduled for Detroit but difficulties had
arisen and the Aero Club OF America had
celled the race for the year. Omaha stepped In
and offered the necessary funds. In consequence,
the first announcement the program is this:
ssThe First International Aero Congress
nounces the second annual aerial contest for the
Pulitzer Trophy in connection with the first con-