The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-07-02
City 0utdoeS Itself to Pay
Tribute to New Air
Trail Blazers.
BOTH TIRED, BUT HAPPY
Post Likened to Coolidge in
Razzing for Short
Radio Speech.
BY SIDNEY B. WHIPPLE
United Press stan Correspondent


Mayor Walker as having exceeded
the speed limit and made more
mileage in nine days than I ever
heard of before" received a roar
ing reception from New York today
in honor of their days, Is hours,
81 minutes fight around the world.
From breakfast to lunch these
two men, who brought their plane
Winnie Mae to a landing at RooSe-
welt field Wednesday night, were
feted with a bedlam of fog and
automobile horns, steamboat whis-
ties, and cheers.
They were reused after eight
hours sleep and went forth into y
paper shower in midtown; were
taken by motor to the Hudson river
amidst cheers; taken down the river
on the Macon to the symphony of
big and little boat horns, including
those of the Leviathan and Aqui-
tania and escorted up Broadway
amid ticker tape and through
milling throng estimated to equal
that which greeted Colonel Charles
A. Lindbergh.
They were greeted from the air
by fellow f1iers; received officially
by Mayor Walker and the munich
pal reception committee at the city
hall and given medals of the city;
escorted back up Fifth avenue where
thousands of shoppers paused and
lined the thoroughfare to shout
welcome; and finally we're returned
to their hotel for a luncheon given
by the mayor.
Afternoon of Rest
An afternoon of rest was in store
for them.
Endless streams Of ticker tape
were tossed as the bareheaded fiierS
Post in dark blue suit and Gatty
in a summer weight light-colored
suit-passed in view and waved
greetings. The f1iers we're tired, but
happy. Their wives, Vera Gatty and
NAV Post, the former in white and
the latter in smart blue costume,
appeared radiantly happy as they
watched the reception to their hus-
bands.
r. C. Hall, hacker Of the flight,
was inconspicuous in the background
but beaming over the beat of his
protege, Post, the greatest pilot
in the world-bar none"
Post, called upon for a radio
speech in acceptance Of the city
honors, said merely:
"It is beyond the power OF words
to express my appreciation to you,
Mr.. Mayor, and to the others"
Quotes Coolidge
This caused DR.. John H. Finley.
chairman of the reception commits
tee, to remark:
Il don't think Calvin Coolidge
could have done any better"
Gatty was called to the micro
phone and he also made a brief
acknowledgment of the reception.
Then the mayor pinned on the lapel
of each f1ier the official city medal,
remarking:
"You not only have exceeded the
speed limit around the world, but
you have gotten more mileage out
of nine days than any one ever
heard Of"
After the reception, the f1iers,
their wives, members of the mayors
committee and the mayor re-
entered the motor cars and started
uptown. Their route lay along
Fifth avnue, where the filters were
greeted by the shopping throng be-
fore being guests at a luncheon
given by the mayor at the Ritz
Carlton.
On arrival at the hotel Wednes-
day night, food was the first requi-
site for the tired men. They were
taken-before they had a chance to
bathe-to private dining room and
invited to do their worst.
Wanted Big Steak
There is only one thing that
suits the OCCASION" they said, "and
that is the thickest steak in the
house" 1t was forthcoming, to-
gether with consomme and cold
cuts. They drank no coffee, and
water was the only beverage on the
table
Meanwhile Post was explaining
his fondness for steaks.
1--WE had nothing in Russia but
black bread and water" he said.
And while we never went hungry.
since we always had plenty Of both
in the plane, we are certainly ready
for something different"
There was one disappointment in
an otherwise Joyous occasion. While
little Mrs. Post, beaming through
her tears, was the first to greet her
distinguished husband at the field.
throwing her arms around him as
his feet struck solid earth once
more, Mrs. Gatty, delayed in her air
journey to New York at Pittsburgh.
missed the arrival and the early
celebration and did not reach here
until this morning.
The arrival of the hiers, in every
way as spectacular as their flight
itself, found 10000 enthusiasts at
Roosevelt Field to greet them with
every noise-making device known to
man. Yet, despite the enthusiasm
behind the greeting, ARRANGEMENTS
for their reception were so well
calculated that the event lacked
many of the unfortunate incidents
that have characterized similar re- \
cepticns in the past