Evening star., 1937-03-15
BY C. B. ALLEN.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

DI ~. Ii.
special Dispatch to The Star.
OAKLAND, Calf, March Is
Head winds of unexpected strength
on the 2,410-mile course to Honolulu
yesterday caused Amelia Earhart to
postpone for "a hours the start of
her projected 27,000-mile equatorial
flight around the world. Unless
weather forbids, the take-off will be
made today between and pm. q
and pm. Eastern Standard Time),
this being the time originally sched-
uled for Miss Earhart's departure on
her globe girdling adventure.
The determining factor in the wom-
an flyers decision not to get under
way across the Pacific yesterday after
noon were reports received Saturday
night from the Hawaiian Clipper,
which turned back after flying a little
more than third of the way to
Hawaii. Capt. Ralph A. Dahlstrom,
who returned to Pan-American Air.
ways Alameda base at s am. today,
reported that he had bucked a 30-knot
wind for hours in his efforts to reach
Honolulu and had ridden back to port
on a wind that had increased to 40
knots when he finally abandoned his
flight.
Saturdays weather map of the Pa
cific had indicated favoring winds on
the course to Hawaii by yesterday
afternoon, but yesterdays reports
showed that the high-pressure area
on which Miss Earhart and her flight
companions-Capt. Harry Manning
Paul Mantz and Fred Noonan-were
counting to assist them had not moved
eastward so fast as expected. They
we're virtually certain yesterday aft
ernoon, however, that conditions over
most of this area would be ideal for
their purposes today.
Airport Halls Delay.
The delay was hailed as a gift from
Providence by Oakland Airport Off
Gfals, who were spurred into feverish
activity Saturday afternoon by the
decision of Miss Earhart and Mr..
Mantz that the rain-softened runway
which they had planned to use here
was too hazardous for a heavy-load
take-off, and that they would start
the flight from Mills Field, San Fran
,ciSco's municipal airport, II miles
across the bay. a crew of Workmen
equipped with tractors, trucks, ScraperS
ano steam roller was set to work
10 put the Oakland runway in proper
condition, and returned on the Job
again at dawn yesterday
The flyers inspected the work ac-
complished yesterday afternoon and
said they were satisfied the runway
would be safe to use today, unless
there is another heavy rain. A brisk
wind out of the west was drying up
the soggy field and aiding in the run
way repair work. A. H. Abel, Oakland
port commissioner, who assumed
personal charge of the situation when
it became apparent that San Fran
cisco might capture the honor of
Miss Earhart's take-off, said he was
positive" that the runway would
meet the flyers full approval by
today.
Miss Earhart has experienced run
way trouble" here before. The morn
ing after her solo flight from Homo
lulu to Oakland on January IL, 1885,
when she TAXED out to resume what
originally was intended to be a
Honolulu Washington flight, her
Lockheed Vega monoplane became
stuck in the mud at the end of the
fields long runway and there was
in,
the Washington phase of her air
journey had to be Cancelled.
Miss Earhart put yesterdays delay
to good use by arranging with DR..
f. H. Padden, Oakland medical
examiner of the Bureau of Air Com
merce, to give her the semi-annual
physical examination required of all
licensed pilots. Government officials
at Washington already had granted
her q waiver on this requirement be-
cause her license was due to expire
during her round-the- world flight, but
she will not have to avail herself of
this privilege now, Dr. Padden having
passed her without question and add
ing for her reinsurance that she was
was no surprise to her friends, who
know how carefully she has been
training for the flights during the
last few months.
Airport Phone Swamped.
The Oakland airport telephone
switchboard was flooded with calls
yesterday concerning the time of
Miss Earhart's take-off. Despite the
fact that all who asked were told
the fight had been postponed because
OF weather conditions, crowd of
nearly 10000 had assembled on the
field by mid-afternoon. Some of them
were rewarded in part by sight of
Inc woman flyer as she visited the
Navy hangar, where her Wasp
motored Lockheed Electra Flying
Laboratory" is kept, to assist Mr.
Mantz in placing the planes emer-
gency and other supplies aboard in
anticipation of the take-off today.
A great cheer went up from the throng