The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1936-09-16


The Decentralization was like
that attending the landing of a
transatlantic steamer. Orders
were barked. Bells rang. A gang
plank was thrown over the side,
and the porters went on to take
off the mail and baggage. Twelve
passengers came down to the quay,
and waited for the customs eX-
animation.
Kay watched the passengers
closely. What a story they told
of this superhuman undertaking
in the air. There was a mission
airy. home from China; a Chinese
student coming to America; a
Japanese merchant. One oldish
couple, tourists, still had Hawai-
ian leiS around their necks. An
army officer strobe down the
gangplank, respondent with spurs.
There was tall, gangling Eng
lishman in tweeds, chatting with
his daughter, pretty girl with
reddish cheeks. A woman in black
wells waited silently. A smartly
gowned young woman chatted IN
French with a simply dressed
maid, while the husband stood
close by, fretting with the Gus
toms examination.
When Kay looked up again she
saw Ted Graham coming down the
gangplank with five other mem
Eers of the crew. They all looked
surprisingly fresh after the IT,
hour flight from Honolulu.
Ted came down last, and stood
there, watching the whole scene
with a practiced eye. He seemed
so proud of this solid achievement
in the air. He didn't want to leave
the ship until the last detail of
Decentralization was complete.
In the five years of preparation
for the trans-Pacific flight he had
given his attention to much de-
tail. The groundwork had been
scientifically laid for this achieve
ment, and Ted had seen it through
from its infancy.
Mechanical efficiency was the
thing. Steadiness. Rigid disci-
pline. Keen calculation. lnstru-
ment work. Robots. Radio beams.
Automatic steering devices. Fly
ing ships that would withstand
high seas and stay afloat. All this
had meant but one thing to Ted
Graham, chief pilot of Trans-Pa-
cific Anyways. Scientific progress.
The Mariners were the result of
years of steady planning, not only
in the aeronautical laboratories,
but in the service. The crews had
been carefully, painstakingly
trained over lesser routes than the
Pacific flight. They had put in
thousands of hours in the air.
They knew exactly what they
were about. They didn't allow
for mistakes.
Ted had frequently said to the
young, keen-spirited pilots under
him: There is no place, abso-
lutely no place, for deeds of der
ring-do in long distance flying
over water" Indeed he had once
been heard to say that the same
thing held for successful long dis
lance marriage in this modern
age!
But suddenly Ted turned
around and saw Kay, and his face
broke into the smile that distin-
guished him. He had recognized
her. But Monte Blaine already
was pumping his hand.
Monte drew Kay forward and
said, 81 want you to meet a swell
girl | found in Reno last night.
Kay Dunn"
Ted laughed, and put out his
hand. "I'd never forget that hair
as long as I'd live" he said.
Monte was nonplussed. "Why,
have you already met? Gosh, am
l dumb! Or have l been taken
for a ride by"
81 once knew Mr.. Graham for
exactly three hours" Kay said.
"He helped me get my job on
Overland Anyways. He was very
kind"
Ted winked at Monte. GIVE got
a special interest in this girl" He
faced her. "And what are you
doing here?"
"Tve spent one night a week
for 10 weeks in Oakland, but you
were always in GUAM" she said'