Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-22
M'CRACKEN GIVEN
FAREWELL DINNER
Retiring Air Chief, About to
Leave for Paris, Promises
D. C. Airport Aid.

William p. MacCracken, ir.. retiring
air chief of the Department of Com
merce, whose achievements in the cause
of aviation has just won for him recog-
milton as one of the Nations II leading
air minds" received additional honorS
last night for his efforts to give the
National Capital the worlds finest air
port"
About to leave for an air congress in
Paris, Mr.. MacCracken was the guest of
honor at a testimonial farewell dinner
at the Willard Hotel. under auspices of
the aviation committee of the Washing
| ton Board OF Trade. Two hundred rep
resentative citizens were present.
Airport National Problem.
Assistant Secretary MacCracken. re-
spending to oral and written tributes
given him by prominent members of the
board, declared the establishment of an
adequate airport in Washington to be
"a national problem" and he pledged
his continued aid toward furtherance Of
the project.
He characterized the movement for
airports as the most important activity
of the present in the world of aviation
development, and complimented such
organizations as the local trade body for
their drives 10 make the country "air
minded"
I'm the movement for airports 1t is
essential to have the support of the citi-
ZenS. Your board has done much to
create airport sentiment in Washington
and the Federal authorities are appre-
ciative Of this. The Government can
not create this sentiment.
Aid for Best Promised.
II am Of the opinion that Washing
ton should have an airport worthy of
the position of the Nation and of It's
great Capital. promise you my aid in
| the future to bring about creation here
of the best and finest airport in the
world"
Mr.. MacCracken shifted all credid for
accomplishments of his department in
the field of civil aviation to President
Hoover, under whose regime as Com
| merce Secretary the departments air
section was established. and to his as
sociates in the department. He said
| that all but two bureaus of the de-
partment are interested oficially in
aeronautical work.
The air secretary was presented with
framed parchment bearing the in
scription:
In tribute to his distinguished serv-
ice to American civil aeronautics and
his generous courtesy and assistance in
the cause of a model airport in the
Nations Capital, the Washington
Board of Trade, representing 5000 of
the leading citizens of the community,
gratefully presents to William p. Mac
Cracker, 1r., Assistant Secretary of
Commerce for aeronautics, this small
token Of It's esteem"
Presidents Murphy's Tribute.
The presentation was made by E. j.
Murphy, president of the board, who
said the splendid cooperation of Fed
eral officials has made our efforts for
an airport one of the most quickly
realized projects in the history of the
organization" Mr.. MacCracken, he de-
clared, was largely responsible for the
facility with which the goal is being
attained.
Senator Bingham of Connecticut,
chairman of the congressional joint
commission investigating airport sites
for Washington, praised the civic inter-
ests of the city for their unSelf1sh enlist
ment in the airport cause. He said he
had heard no objection voiced by any
taxpayer to the airport plan, even
though the taxpayers might have to
bear the cost of the project.
The taxpayers" the Senator said,
realize they need an airport here and
they are willing to pay for it: Il Con-