Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-18

family parties being organized
casually for round-the-world Vacatioii 1ouis
the blue all eyes are so busy scanning uls'O
horizons for the latest signs OF aerial progress
that we have failed to note what Is going y"
right under very noses. g,
Ouietly and unostentatiouSly official WASH
lngton has taken to the air .
For the first time in the history OF the Natlon
we have the spectacle of nylng caon1' -
per cent of which uses the air as regular oi'
at least. a frequent medium of travel. AS 1oF
the little cabinet" and the rest Oh olnclalooin'
more Of them are joining the sky trotters every
day once they take to wings, they ADMIT Ihey
are completely sunk" or, rather, permanently
elevated to new plane OF tnlllheiS-'iiA' NO
known as the air minded
Is the White House air -mlndeo, 100! Ratiiet
although for obvious reasons, the FresioehS
and his lady do not travel tnaC way Iaeth
selvas A Presidents life is of necessity guaroeo
with the utmost care, and his MODE OF IraSeI
as well as everything else connected WIN l'4o
movements must be chosen with the m'ec
scrupulous conservatism, even 10 the Polil' VI
bending over backward, lest some chance haIaEu
mioht prove an unhappy risk. No Presloehs
IF the limited States has yet been in the air
at least not while he was in the Whlte house.
But beth the President and Mrs hoover arc
keenlv interested in the development OF All
travel and believe confidently in the rapid ana
steady progress of all forms of aviation. Both
of their sons flv and one of them, Herbert IT.
holds his cwn license and owns his own plane
TWO of the White House staff are not only
! air-minded; they are by sef-aomlssloh
"dying bugs" Lawrence Richey, secretary 10
the President was the first Chief Executives
aide tn catch the fever quite accidentally, sew
eral months ago. James Ray, well known auIo-
giro pilot, dropped in mere or less hteraHy one
day last Spring to pay his respects at the
White House. After he had been greeted py
the president and had demonstrated his ability
to land on a single blade of grass or what not'
he fell into conversation with Lawrence Rlcney'
who was admiring his queer-looking snip with
its four huge propelers spread out on Top inc
a spiders legs Mr. Richey remarked, albeit
trife wistfullv that he had never been up In
the air.
what, never?" quoth the autogirator
sNo never" solemnly averred Mr.. Rlchey.
The pilot who had appointment in Balti-
moro or St Louis or somewhere few minutes
hence shook his head sadly, murmuring IN
shocked soto voice: This will never do-no'
never" Then, doing things to his queer little
instrument board, he suddenly rose straisht up
In the air and was eff.
But not for long The discovery of full
grown man who had never been of the ground
weighed upon his soul so heavily that one
day in June he dropped down at the Washing
ton Airport and got in touch with the execu-
tive Offices without delay. The too-long-
grounded Mr. Richey came forth with alacrlty,
sped toward the field and greeted his visitor
frcm the ether most heartily.
Never been up yet?" querled James Ray
with incredulity in his gaze.
Nope never" grinned the secretary, "er-
not yeti"
"Well. hop in
Mr.. Richey took deep breath-and hoped
By his own account he's been hopping ever
since, into every kind of ship he could get with
In hopping distance Of.
The ether flying bug" at the White House
is Miss Mildred Hall, youthful society secretary
to Mrs. Hoover-the youngest ever to hold this
position by the way-who took her first flight
two years ago in a cabin plane which was being
looked over by officials at Boiling Field WINE
the cabin plane gave Miss Hall her first air
thrill her real love is the small open pursuit
type.
"You can see so much more as you go along. !"
she says.