Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-06-13
|.|NDBERGH GIVES
CREDIT TO SCIENCE
Tells Flag Vesper Service
Throng Plane Is AI|-Ameri-
can Production.

Not the act of a single pilot, but
The elimination of 20 years of scientific
labors in the field of aviation. brought
about the New York-to-Paris flight of
the Spirit Of St. Louis, Col, Charles A.
Lindbergh told $4,000 persons assem-
bled on the west slope Of Capitol Hill
yesterday afternoon, when he made
his last formal public appearance in
| Washington.
His vast audience the throng that
composed the congregation at the
vesper flag service, under the auspices
of the United States Flag Association
and the Elks' fraternal organization,
the flying envoy of this Nation abroad
succeeded only in bringing added glory
| to himself in his modeSty. While the
| thousands applauded in pride when he
declared his ship the product OF Amer
| lean industry, and only American in
dustry, it was Col. Eindberg who was
worshiped, for, his part in the Vesper
service program done and his depar-
| ture effected, the crowd melted rapidly
| to a mere ghost of it's original proper
| tons.
Visits His Plane.
Col Lindbergh had visited Airing
ton to pay tribute to the dead, and
Walter Reed Hospital to pay honor
to the living, and from the latter place
| he journeyed to Boiling Field, from
which he visited his trim little plane.
The vision of the Spirit of st. Louis
still fresh in his mind, Col. Lindbergh's
praise Of that item of equipment and
the source of it's birth came with sin
certify when he spoke to the vesper
| throng.
Sees Human Pyramid.
It was exactly $50 o'clock when the
flying envoy of the United States took
his place on the bunting -decked plat
form at the foot of the Capitol dome.
To the rear he found himself f1anked
on both sides by 1900 children CO.'S
TUNED in red, white and blue in the
formation of two great American flags
that reared themselves upward toward
the venerable dome. At the top of
the vast stairways of the Capitol and
Gaping the child-crowded steps, a
vested choir of 500 colored singers
formed an apex to the human pyra-
mid.
Before him from his vantage point
amid standing audience which rose
from it's privileged seats at his entry,
Col. Lindbergh saw sweeping away
from him down the slope of Capitol
Hill teeming maelstrom of idolizing
worshipers, which seethed and boiled
when he appeared No less than $4,000
persons comprised that vesper crowd.
Following somewhat confused intro
auctions, Lindbergh seated himself in
chair next that occupied by the
former Secretary of State, Charles
Evans Hughes, and three places re-
moved from his mother. When he
was seated, the crowd, or that part Of
it which had chairs at it's disposal, also
sat while the United States Marine
Band completed it's half hour concert
of patriotic and religious music.
Bows Head i'm Prayer.
The spirit of the Vester Flag
Service" was recited by young Theo.
dore Tiller, I'd, and the choir from it's
lofty perch sang an opening hymn.
Mgr. c. F. Thomas, pastor of st. Pat.
rick's Church, then took his place be-
fore the microphone and the vast con-
gregation bowed it's head in silent
reverence. Lindbergh inclined his head
with the rest, while 800 feet above
him the Goddess of Freedom, facing
east with the others on Capitol Hill,
seemed bowed in reverent reflection
while the priest prayed.
1t was cloudy overhead, about the
same sort of sky under which Lind
bergh sailed into American waters
Friday, and while the band, directed
by it's old master, John Philip Sousa,
played Sousa's own "Stars and
Stripes Forever" the sun seeped
through the evening haze. Mr..
Hughes leaned over several times to
exchange observations with the flyer,
who sat all the while with his left leg
crossed over his right and his right
hand covering it's fellow in his lap.
They looked for all the world like
father and son and not infrequently
the kindly eyes of the former Secre-
tary smiled their admiration to the
boy at his side.
When the band had finished play
ing the stirring march, Mr.. Hughes
rose to stand before the microphone.
Turning so that he could face at
once Col. Lindbergh and the vast au.
dience before them, the former Sec
rotary told the flyer that he was to
present to him the United States Flag
Associations cross of honor in trib-
ute ito your achievement under the
ideals Of the flag"
Spirit of America.
"Col. Lindbergh," Mr.. Hughes ad-
dressed the blushing boy, you flew
the Spirit of st. Louis, typifying the
spirit of your great enterprise, but
happily, you flew also in the spirit Of
America. In flying the Spirit of st.
Louis you flew, too, in the spirit of
youth under the ideals of the Flag
the dauntless personal courage that
is the foundation of the Republic"
Continuing his eulogy of the young
aviator, Mr.. Hughes said:
you have been our most success
full envoy, Col. Lindbergh; there was
healing in your wings"
Mr.. Hughes then pinned upon Lind
berghs breast the United States Flag
Associations cross of honor, while
the crowd swayed in approving ap-
| plause.
Col. Lindbergh's second speech of
| the day was now to be delivered.
| Standing boyishly before the vast as
| semblage, the young colonel struck
at the heart of his topic without pre-
amble. Slowly and deliberately, he
said:
II realize that there is a great deal
of interest at present in transatlantic
| flying, and for that reason it seems
10 me that this Is the proper time
to consider the things that make such
| flights possible.
Result of Research.
| "In relation to this flight from New
York to Paris, it seems to me there
are other things to be considered be-
sides the work of a single pilot. 1t
was not the act Of single pilot but
the elimination of over 20 years of
aeronautical research. My plane rep
! resents the gathering together of the