Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-03
FRENCH PRESIDENT
PAYS TRIBUTE TO
AMERICAN FLYERS
Byrd and Companions Must
Cancel Engagements Be.
cause of Fatigue.
CROWD MAY HAVE CAUSED
BROKEN C0LLARB0NE
Balchen Greeted by ENJOYS OF
Homeland-Throngs Consid-
crate of Airmen.
sv the Associated Press.

Nv the Associated Press.
PARIS. July 2.-After undergoing
the violent shock of French JOY tha1
succeeded a night of anguish as "
their fate. Comdr. Richard 4. BYRD
80 bis comrades of the transatlantic
nlane America began taking stocN
this afternoon. 1t was found that 'he
victory over the adverse elements nau
not been gained without consideraple
damage to the men.
BERT Acosta had suffered nrokeh
collarbone, which was set at tne
American hospital, while Comor'
Rvrd after a careful examination by
DIR. Gros, head of the surgical stan
was ordered to take complete rest.
The only exception the doctor "oulo
.uow was attendance at the reception
nv President Doumergue this aIter'
noon.
Talks to Newspaper Men.
The commander, however, stretch-
cd this in favor of the French ana
American newspaper men, 10 Whoni
he talked of the fight a Few minutes
after he returned to his hotel' ana
his future plans.
t. ia nrohable that Acosta's collar
hone was fractured when the Amer
ica landed in the water at Ner-sur-
Ner. but he cannot vouch for IT, as
he nrofesses to have been unaware
of this until the surgeon discovered
the iniury this afternoon.
IT is quite possible that some OF
the damage might have been done at
the st. LaZarre station today When
crowd of 10000 persons rlsked crush
ing Byrd and his companions IN thelr
eayerness 10 get a sight of them and
acclaim them. The commander ana
his colleagues can boast that they
are the only group of four persons
ever bottled up in ST. Lazarre sta
tion. The Communists were once
several years ago, but they were
! 600 times more numerous and a
good many times more violent.
Much Glass Broken.
The aviators and their friends were
pulled. pushed and hauled about, and
only with the greatest difficulty could
they make their way to the waiting
motor cars. In the crush much glass
was broken, and a piece of it got into
the eye of Mrs. Richard D. White.
wife Of the American naval attache.
The airmen were taken completely
by surprise when they found the sta
ton on their arrival from Caen so
crowded that some spectators were
pushed off the quays at the risk of
falling under the locomotives of in
coming trains. The flyers could find
few words to express their feelings.
They became separated on their way
out of the station, but were brought
together again through a lucky meet
ing with Charles A. Levine. who
crossed the Atlantic in the Columbia
with Clarence d. Chamberlin. When
they reached the open air they heard
the roar of the thousands pressed
into the small space between the Rue
st. Lazare and the station. The mo-
tor cars made their way carefully
through the throng and finally ar
rived at the hotel, where the aviators
took up their quarters in the apart
ment of Rodman Wanamaker, the
hacker of the expedition. At the no.
tel they found another throng. some.
what smaller, but equally demonstra-
tive.
Byrd Is Embarrassed.
All along the route from the station
the heroes of the third American air.
plane crossing of the Atlantic received
an ovation. 1t took the form of
shower of flowers in the Rue Dam
sterdam. while thousands sent up
cries, Long live Byrd! Long live
America
Perhaps the most embarrassing
moment for Comdr. Bryd was when a
gorgeously attired woman elbowed her
way to him, much to the injury of her
expensive costume, and handed him a
magnificent bunch of roses. The COM
mander hesitated, as if afraid he could
not make the lady understand what
he would like to say; whereupon she
remarked in excellent English: Never
mind, I know what you think"
The airmen passed through the CEN
ter of the millinery and dressmaking
district on their way to the hotel. The
windows Of all the shops were crowd
ed with midinettes, young shop girls,
who screamed at the height Of their
voices in an endeaVor to make the
Americans hear Gnd respond to their
variety of compliments.
The man who discovered the
North Pole by airplane" found a
much warmer atmosphere in Paris,
but his exhausted condition made it
almost impossible for him TO show
his appreciation. The crowd, how
ever, overlooked his silence. lost in
wonder that such a slight, dis
tinguished looking person could go
around the world looking for poles
and defying the elements.
BaIchen Only One Uninjured.
Every member of the crew made
an excellent impression, as did Lind
bergh. Chamberlin and Levine before
them.
They made seven good unofficial
ambassadors the United States has
sent u.s." was one remark heard
along the route from the station to,
the hotel
Let the poor men get some rest"
was frequent piece of advice from
those who noted that Byrd was pale,
that Neville limped slightly and that
Acosta WINGED when his shoulder
came into contact with any one or
anything. Balchen was the only
member of the crew who seemed to
have suffered scarcely at all from
their terrible experience, and he was
the youngest member of the party.
Representatives OF the Norwegian
kgation were at the station to greet
8alchen, as well as a considerable
Aumber OF leading members of the
Norwegian colony, some of whom re-
&embered tbs boys prowess as
lightweight and middieweight boxing
champion Of Norway before he be-
came a shining light among airmen.
The Norwegian charge d'affaires
Nnd number of Norwegian corre-
I~o"t5n'Iod on Page a. Column 50