Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-02
L|NDY TAKES HINT
FROM MUD EPISODE
Flyer More Careful of Keep.
ing Public Good Will Since
D. C. Criticism.
BY LEMEUL F. PARTON.


Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, May 2.-Those who OBJ
served Col. Charles A. Lindbergh's latest
a-rivel in Washington and his appear
ance before a joint committee of Con-
gree this week have commented on the
apparent lessening Of his old aloofness
and signs of a new public behavior al
most affable.
The explanation is at hand here to-
day, with the story of an unfortunate
mud-splashing episode in Washington.
In making landing at Boiling Field
the young colonel had the misfortune
to spatter mud on some of the by
ISLANDERS AS usual, he was pre-occupied
with his airplane and the afternoons
work and it was not until day or two
later. when he was informed by his
friends, that he learned that certain
persons in Washington had seized on
the incident as social contretemps and
that there was considerable buzzing and
whispering regarding it.
This is known to have caused Col.
Lindbergh considerable distress, and in
conversation with his social and bust
ness intimateS he assured them that 1t
was only his concentration on his plane
which prevented him from noticing
what had happened and offering apol-
ogies There was a general discussion
of Col Lindbergh'S attitude in meeting
the public, and when he few to Wash
ington to appear before Congress this
week, it was with the assurance that he
would be regardful of situations pos
sibly requiring some unbending on his
part.
Reserve Is Innate.
There has been no intimation that
Col. Lindbergh has been deliberately
Ungracious in his contacts with the
public. On the contrary, it was his
personal behavior which Immediately
strengthened and made unbreakable his
hold on the American public after his
historic flight. His innate reserve is so
genuine that he did not adapt himself
readily to demands of the crowd which
swarmed in upon him and he is so
deeply and thoroughly immersed in air
planes. their whims, temperamentS and
dispositions that the gaping and wor-
Shipful multitudeS appeared vaguely as
possible distractions to landings and
take offs. somewhat intrusive perhaps,
and usually in the way.
The press of the country has under
stood that Col Lindbergh has been
compelled TO ward off intrusion and has
commended his refusal to lend himself
to the sensational exploitation which
usually seizes our national heroes. In
this he Jared much better than Gene
Tunney. who has not hesitated to ex-
press his contempt for newspaper men
as IMPLYING the public onslaughts
SxrIas - L. - -{~A
Mr.. Tunney has received few Short
arm jabs in return.
The only unpleasant criticism launched
against Col. Lindbergh came from
Gene E. Howe. editor of the Amarillo,
Tex, News and son of Ed Howe, the
Kansas philosopher. Mr.. Howe rather
Unexpectedly denounced the young COL
onel for his fiinty resistance to public
Establishment. This criticism caused
some little stir around the country,
with Mr.. Howe receiving small support,
and there was no indication that Col
Lindbergh ever heard of it. He is not
an intent newspaper reader, his spe-
cialty being airplanes and how to fly
them.
Hears of Episode Here.
But it happened that among the
splashees in Washington there were
persons whose names, while having
nothing to do with airplanes, carried
even into the Lindbergh consciousness
The colonel, always impelled by his ma
tive courtesy and good will, was anxious
to make amends. There were frank
discussions, and it is understood that
from now on Col. Lindbergh will be
as intent as possible on the amenities
of public contacts, without laying him
self open to that devouring intrusion
which almost swamped him when he
jumped to Paris.
This correspondent has talked with
Col. Lindbergh and has observed his
conduct when set upon by newspaper
men, photographers and crowds. One
has only to meet him to know that
his reserve is due first to his COM
mendable insistence that he should not
be asked to comment on anything out
side of his field of information and,
second, to his natural shrinkage from
crowds.
There is not the slightest suggestion
Of ill-breeding in his behavior, and II
he has appeared renniss in answering
the SalvoS of the multitude, it IS be-
cause of his bewilderment that all this
fuss should be made over his goings
and comings. It is understood from
his friends that he is learning from the
elder statesmen who surround him some
of the surface arts of public intercourse,
which may be practiced without Sacrl-
fee of the deeper reserves which his
adrniring coentrymen genuinely respect.