Evening star., 1935-04-28

woman was to be taken along. Those repre-.
sentatives were David T. Layman, Jr. and
John S. Phipps, before which masculine jury
l made my next appearance. 1t should have
been slightly embarrassing, for if were found
wanting in too many ways would be counted
out. On the other hand, if l were just too
fascinating. the gallant gentlemen might be
loath to risk drowning me. Anyone could see
the meeting was crisis.
A few days later the verdict came. The
fight actually would be made and could 20
if I wished. Naturally couldn't say mo-"
Who would refuse an invitation to such
shining adventue3
Followed. in due course, after weeks of
mechanical preparation, efforts to get the
monoplane Friendship" off fiom the grey
waters of Boston Harbor. There were chill
before-dam gettings-up. with breakfasts
snatched and thermos bottles filled at an
all-night lmch-comter. Brief voyages on the
tug boat Sadie Ross" to the anchored plane.
followed by the sputter of the faithful motors
awakening to Mechanic Lou Gordon's ooaxing
and their later full-throated roar when Pilot
bill" Stultz gave them the gun - and I
oouched on the fuselage floor hoping we were
really off,
Thrice we failed. dragging back to Boston
for more long days of waiting. Waiting is apt
to be 90 much harder than going. with the
excitement of movement. of getting off. Of
adventure around-the-oorner.
In charge of shore Preparations was that
man I'd met in New York, possessed. some
how, of driving knack Of getting things done.
Finally one morning the "Friendship" took
off successfully. and Stultz. Gordon and I
transferred ourselves to Trepassey, New
fo,mdland. Thirteen days of further waiting
in that tiny fishing village and then. on May
20. over the Atlantic to Bwryport. Wales.
in 20 hours and 40 minutes.
So from that telephone turning
point. after the pleasant accident of being
the first woman to cross the Atlantic by air.
was launched into life more full than ever
Aviation Offered such fun as crossing the
continent in planes large and small. trying the
whirling rotors of an autogiro. making record
fights. With these activities came opportunity
to know women everywhere who share my
conviction there Is 50 much women can do in
the modern world and should be permitted to
do irrespective of their sex.
Two years ago, having been rudely char.
acterized as sack of potatoes" when was
a mere passenger on my first Atlantic crossing,
few alone to Ireland - an exploit which
contributed little beyond indicating that
women, now and then. can do things them
selves if given the chance.
Also. l suppose that phone call can be con-
sidered the genesis of the thoroughly inter
esting eighteen hours recently experienced
over the Pacific, en- route from Honolulu to
California.
Those latter were solo voyages, but much
of the preparations for them weren't. For, as
often since that turning point, the Man.
who was to- find "a girl to fly the Atlantic
had an encouraging hand in them - that
man didn't like 50 well at first.
His name, I neglected to say, is George
Palmer Putnam.
Nowadays, he has his solo jobs and have
mine. But there is also work and play together,
conducted under satisfactory system of dual
control, since we were married four years ago.
In an early issue we win publish another