Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1927-12-16
Lindbergh the Nations Hero

For three hours Wednesday the nation was held
IN suspense as IL awaited a message from Mexico City
announcing that Colonel Charles Lindbergh had sue
~eessfulIy completed his nonstop flight from Washing
ton 10 the capital Of the southern republic.
In New York, Chicago and other great cities bust.
ness was almost suspended and immense crowds gath.
cred around the newspaper offices and the bulletin
boards anxiously awaiting the flash that would an.
nounee the fate Of the nations hero.
No presidential election or other great event in
the nations history ever gripped the American pub
lie to the same extent as did the late morning news
from Mexico that Lindbergh was probably lost in CEN
trail Mexico, and a sigh OF relief went up from the ma
tiOn when the message was finally flashed from the
Mexican capital that the intrepid aviator's plane was
landing.
Every city, town and village in the United States
was receiving reports on the flight Of the ace Of all
pilost. From early dawn Wednesday morning until the
flash came from Mexico City that Lindbergh was safe
the Geographic and telephone wires Of the nation car
ried little other than the news of the flight. News
paper offices were besieged with inquiries and when
the news came from Mexico that ~Lindbergh was prob
ably lost. practically the entire nation was ~apprized Of
the fact in a few minutes. Interest in the success
Of the flight was Immediately changed TO anxiety
concerning the fate Of the nations hero, and no man
ever received greater tribute from people than was
exemplified during those hours when the fate OF the
famous pilot was unknown. and the nations affection
for the good will ambassador was again exemplified in
the national joy that followed the announcement he
had made a safe landing in Mexico City.
Lindbergh's flight was probably the most import
ant ever undertaken. His Paris flight blazed the way
for the ultimate development Of transatlantic aerial
traffic. but his Mexico City flight has demonstrated
what the United States can Immediately achieve in the
way Of linking up the Latin republics in a great inter
national airway program which will assure closer and
more satisfactory commercial and social relations
with our southern n~eighbors. The flight Of our am
bassador Of good will, will also go far toward elimi-
mating the antipathies which exist south Of the Rio
Grande in binding the entire western hemisphere in
the bonds Of closer understanding and commercial
union.
Lindbergh. the greatest pioneer the world has
ever known, has clearly demonstrated to the people Of
the United States and the southern republics the
feasibility Of the proposed international airway pro-
gram. His nonstop flight from Washington to the
Mexican capital should set at rest all doubts rs to the
praeticabiiity OF the closer union Of the American re-
publics by means Of aerial mail and commercial plane
service. His flight will not only open the way for
aerial development on a scale heretofore seldom con-
ceiyed. but will result in commercial union which
should eventually bind ali American nations with ties
that European propaganda and aggression can never
break.
Brownsville will probably receive more direct
benefit from Lindbergh's successful flight than any
city on the American continent. Lindbergh has dem
onstrated to the world that the logical route for the
future international sirwsy connecting eastern United
States and the southern republics is down the Gulf
coast, with Brownsville as the port Of entry to the
Latin nations south of the Rio Grande. That this
city il destined to become one OF the most important
sir ports on the western hemisphere now appears prae-
tically certain, and Brownsville should not delay in
making preparations TO provide such facilities as will
he required.