Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-31

The portion of the Mall between the
National Museum and the Smithsonian
Institution presents much the appear
ance of a tourist camp, hundreds Of
cars from the States being parked there
as visitors go through the various
buildings.
Lindbergh's Spirit Of st. Louis Il
the mecca of most of the tourists. II
is interesting to watch the sightseers
stand beneath the plane, suspended
some IL or is feet above their heads
why do they hang 1t way ur
there?" complains one young miss.
Another sightseer, who does not be-
long to her party, answers her, but not
| quite loud enough for her to hear.
ITO guard it from people just like
| you" he says.
No doubt there are thousands OF
Washingtonians who have never visited
Lindys plane in the Arts and Indus
tries Building. They should do so, not
particularly in spirit Of hero wor-
ship, but simply to see a celebrated
craft and to realize how frail a thing
an airplane is, after all.
In contrast with the floor, the CELL
ing and the walls Of the building, the
Spirit of st. Louis seems small, in
deed. To trust ones self to the mercies
%
more than most of us would want to do.
AS one looks up at the silvery ship
one recalls that only one person ever
did 1t by himself. It took nerve, and
plenty Of it. AS long as mankind ap-
plauds pluck Lindy's plane will hang
there as the reminder of q heroic deed.
The tendency on the part Of some
today to feel that the hero of the first
transatlantic airplane passage has been
overworshiped would be nipped in the
bud in each instance II the holder
thereof would come and stand beneath
the Spirit Of st. Louis for q while.
n y
The tourists are running all over
the lot these hot days trying to see
everything, and they are making a pref
ty good job of 1t. The majority of
them are women and girls, as seems to
be the case with all touring parties. All
Of them have sleeveless dresses and
sport plenty of "suntan." -
Their cars are parked along the
drives. Here Is one from North Caro-
lima. one from Georgia, one from In
diana, one from Illinois. No doubt the
complete roster Of the. States could be
found there, as the dusty cars wheel
into such parking space as Is available.
The WaShingtonian who happens to
be visiting the Mall cannot help con-
trasting the scene there now with what
was presented only q few years ago. In
the old days there might have been seen
a car or two, and maybe carriage, but
today there are scores and hundreds of
cars lining the drives. with entrances
left only at walks and crossroads.
The American people are coming to
see their National Capital, not only in
the pleasant days of Spring, when the
railroads bring tens of thousands Of
high school boys and girls to Washing
ton, but also during the Summer. when
sightseeing conditions are not ideal.
Heat seems to make little, If any,
difference to the modern family which
takes to its car for tour Of these
States. They ride triumphant above
the weather, determined to have good
time. to enjoy themselves, and to see
everything.
1t is in this spirit that they flock to
the Mall. They want to see every
thing-to understand it, If possible, but
simply to see it, II they cannot.
y X II
The Freer Gallery is a classic example
Of this spirit. Perhaps there are not