The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1938-08-05
n. '. MILLIONS
co WILD over.
DOUG CORRICAN
BIase Gotham Takes
Filler to Its Heart
CONTINUED from Page II

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stchool. Boys from CCC camps
and girls from WPA sewing prof
ects. Youngsters Of Corrigan's
own age.
You could see their heads come
UP. their eyes brighten.
Even before the parade started
thousands milled around his
hotel, pushins. clawing, kicking
trying to get through to be near
this smiling ambassador of hope
and cheer as he came out with
the reception committee.
And down at the Battery it was
worse. They had been gathering
there for hours Good-natured
perspiring patrolman herded them
back time and time again.
"Y.EA-CORRIGAN"
Finally. there he was in his old
leather flying jacket, that infec-
tious grin lighting up the whole
area.
"Corrigan!" they shouted,
"Y.e.a-Corrigan!"
Parade. demonstration? It was
0 riot even before the car in which
Corrigan was riding began to inch
along.
Up ahead, New York snow
already was beginning to fall.
From thousands of windows ticker
tape Snaked down, to mix with
confetti. torn newspapers, torn
telephone books. The sun dis.
appeared.
It was grand, it was glorious
and 1t was awesome.
A few short weeks ago an OBJ
scure pilot and aviation mechanic.
Today millions, leaning out win
dows. lining the sidewalks, cheer
ing, Shouting-yes, and there were
some who cried openly, cried for
the pure joy Of it. stopped over
from emotion so intense that it
was not enough to laugh.
2 CARS IN PARADE"
It isn't really "parade"-just
two cars, Douglas up there in the
front one sitting UP high on the
folded down top-but all the
armies in the world could get out
here and parade and not draw
half the crowd.
Now we're out in the clear and
right in the old canyon and the
SNOW" Is falling by the ton.
Startled pigeons circle wildly about
probably even flying in the
wrong direction. The din is so
terrific your ear-drumS sing.
Everybody seems to have a
noiSe-maker Of some kind and the
sirens on the "a police motorcycles
rise and fall in weird accompani.
ment to the pace of this happy,
dizzy, crazy reception.
GRINNING ALL OVER
And Corrigan is eating it up!
Never in your life have you seen
anybody so happy! All this for
him Amazing and incredible as is
this young fellow, he can't fathom
this demonstration, can't believe
that he, Douglas Corrigan, is rid
ing up old "Heartbreak Alley" in
probably the biggest, noisiest cele-
bration Of all time.
He looks as though he is afraid
to pinch himself for fear that he
may wake up and find that he is
still q little grease monkey check
ing over a plane called the Spirit
of St. Louis.
City Hall now. Last stop, and
there Is the mayor to grasp Doug
las warmly by the hand and tell
him how much New York loves
him and admireS him today and
TO- kid him a little about his
wrong direction" flight.
COrrig0n's Reply
And, smiling, young C rTigan
hands 1t right back to him and
says:
Speaking of having your COM
pass fixed a certain way. think
Mayor LaGuardia has his COM
pass pointed toward a higher
Objective-if you know what I
mean"
And they do know what he
means and LaGuardia, so often
mentioned as a 1910 possibility for
the presidential min a tion,
throws his head back and roars
and the crowd loars along with
him.
And more hats sail into the air
and there are more cheers. and
Corrigan laughs and the mayor
bushes o little bit.
And finally the Corrigan parade
Is over but try to tell that to the
crowd.