Evening star., 1928-03-02
Defends Plane Exhibit.
Sarah Wilson SirattOn Takes Is.
sue With f.. A. Summers.

10 tho Editor of The Star:
Will you kindly permit me to reply,
through the columns OF your paper, to
the comment made by Eugene A. Sum
mcrs relative to the gift to the Smith
sonian Institution of the monoplane,
the Spirit OF st. Louis?
I desire, first of all, to allay his fear
Of disgrace to Col. Lindbergh's plane
when It shall finally rest within the pro-
lection OF the Smithsonian Institution.
Down there in that little metal garage
back of the old Museum Building" to
quote Mr.. Summers phrasing) there
are sheltered and on exhibition the
worlds most famous aircraft, TO Wnlcn
will be added the Spirit OF ST. LOUIS
| These have been readily ana WIZ
cvc..y confidence delivered by the United
States Army Navy and famous civilian
0yers to tho custody of the Smitn-
s0n,ans competent staff. They are ft-
ting companions, pioneers as they are
| of history-making flights. for the spirit
| of St Louis. The eternal glOries OF tnelr
! accomplishments live in the labeled pho-
| tographs and trophies exhibited all
about them.
In a similar way shall the pictured
story of Col. Lindbcrgh's many and
varied flights be portrayed.
Far from being storage house, II
| IL open to the public every day from
Q n m. until 430 pm, and daily attracts
many visitors It Is a building already
hallOwed before Col. Lindbergh's plane
| arrives. and it Is because of the famed
CO "a ~
propriately chosen by Col. Lindbergh
himself for the final disposition and ex-
| hibition Of his trusty pal"
! Mr.. Summers evidently has never been
inside the aircraft building nor does he
realize it is in reality an airplane hangar
| for he calls it garage"
| Erected during the late war for ex-
perimentS in connection with the Lib
crty engine which. as every one knows
was vital feature in our winning OF
the war, it was later acquired for an
aircraft exhibit by the Smithsonian In
StitutiOn, which has always identified it
self with the promotion OF aeronautics
Rather than criticize the Smithsonian
Institution for the allotment of this
| building for the exhibition of aero
nautics. praise should be given their
! foresight in securing some place for
such an exhibit. If this had not beer
done, where now would be such famous
aircraft as the To. the NC-4. tho
| Douglas world cruiser Chicago, the Army
racing plane of 1925 which in that year
won both the Pulitzer and Schneider
races, the Pan-American flyer San
Francisco. and others Of similar merit?
| Does Mr. Summers realize that the
| San Francisco Is the only remaining
one OF five which made the m0mentous
| Pan American flight Of last year? Those
which were kept in service have been
wrecked and forever lost TO poSterity.
! OF the many racing planes built tc
uphold American international honor
practically all Of them which were Kept
| IN service are gone.
| We recall the wonderful flight OF
Lieut.. Maughan. who flew from dawn
! to dusk across the continent How many
know that because additional space was
not then available the plane accom-
| plShing this great feat. one never since
cqualed. could not be accepted for the
, aircraft collection and has since
! crashed?
Thus, 1t is only because OF the so.
| called little metal garage" that We
! have today rescued by the Smithsonian
| Institution these heroes of yesterday.
Col Lindbcrgh himself prefers the
quiet and sincere comradeship Of hi:
fellow flyers to lavish and demonstrativt
entertainment. In like manner the
Spirit OF ST. Louis would. II II coulC
speak, choose the society OF these pio-
neer aircraft.
One who critici2es without Offering q
solution Is not constructive
! If one wishes to suggest the securing
! Of a more imposing building for the
shelter of the Spirit Of st. Louis. let that
suggestion include that structure be
built tor the entire collection. And le,
suggestion be accompanied by gratitude
! 10 the members OF the Smithsonian In
/ stitution TOR what has been accom-.
| pl!Shed with limited means
| propose to MIR. Summers and tt
| the citizens of the United States that
We assist the Smithsonian Institution
which Is depenoont upon private en-.
/ d"wments. 10 erect building sufficient
/ for the exhibition Of not only the pres
ent collection and that famous airplant
! which 1t will be It's great pleasure anc
/ honor 10 soon welcome. but Of any fu-
! ture record making planes 1t may have
| the privilege Of accepting.
| To this end hereby pledge myself tc
| the gift of 800
SARAH WILSON STRATTON.