Evening star., 1939-03-04
Weather May Hold
Yankee Clipper
Al Anchorage
Flights Planned
For Passengers Today
May Be Called OFF

4dh1Ils Oll lUI lIS 4llst pdoScIleCI
flight this morning in murkNweather
from the Anacostia Naval Air Base,
the giant Alton Yankee Clipper
scared into the air to open the sec
ond day of its visit to the National
Capital.
Christened yesterday by Mrs.
Franklin D. Roosevelt, the great air.
plane. which is to fly the Atlantic
in regular passenger service for Pan
American Airways, planned to stay
flight was scheduled, but with
threatening weather it was uncer-
tain whether the hops which had
been planned to carry guest pas
sengers would be continued.
If the ship is kept on the water
by inclement weather, it was ex-
planned, guests who were accorded
courtesy tickets would be able to
see even more of the huge planes
interior than if they took the flight.
Visitors to the ship while she is
moored would be able to inspect the
control room, from which they would
be excluded during flight.
More Flights Tomorrow.
Six flights had been scheduled for
today, with more tomorrow "A slight
drizzle started shortly before the
first fight this morning. but crowd
of guests numbering about so. un-
daunted by threatening weather,
boarded the giant clipper without
concern. They were transported
from the boat dock by small boats
to the Clipper, which was moored
some distance out in the Eastern
Branch. The air station will be
open to the public from am. to
pm. today and tomorrow.
Although the four motors had
been warmed up for some time be-
fore the passengers went on board,
the great ship was TAXED down the
river and far back up the Anacostia
before she finally took to the air
about 1926 am.
The christening ceremony took
place yesterday afternoon in the
presence of a distinguished gather
ing.
Subject only to Federal regula-
tions governing flights over the city,
the Clipper will be routed so as to
be visible to a maximum number of
local residents in the course of
flights.
Crowds Tie Up Traffic.
In an overwhelming display of
enthusiasm. Washingtonians by the
thousands jammed every road to the
Anacostia station for hours yester-
day. creating the worst traffic tie-up
in the history of Anacostia.
Eleventh Precinct police estimated
that 10000 people crowded into
Naval Air Station and that perhaps
as many more were caught in the
traffic jam and never reached the
station at all. Other thousands COL
lected at Hams Point and other
vantage places.
1t was pointed out that there is
no place in or near Washington
where a flying boat like the Clipper
can be wharfed. Loading and un-
loading arrangements at Anacostia
are by boats, a makeshift method at
best, it was explained The Wash
ington National Airport, now under
construction at Gravelly Point, it
was pointed out. eventually will pro-
vide accommodations for such flying
boats and also traffic approaches
and parking facilities which would
have prevented such jams as oc-
Cured yesterday.
Something of the spontaneous en-
thusiasm of the Washington public
was reflected in the speeches of ma
tional leaders at the christening
ceremonies. Chairman Edward j
Noble of the Civil Aeronautics Au-
thority compared the event as par
alleling in Importance the advent
of the first of those famous Yankee
Clippers in 1882 which made the
United States master of the sea
lanes for three decades.
Garry Peace Message.
These great airplanes carry no
message of destruction" Mr.. Noble
said In the traditional American
way they will show the world that
the blessings of ingenuity and skill
can and should be turned not to de-
struction but to peace and pros
perity"
Postmaster General Farley said
the flying Clippers, the establishment
the flying clippers, the establishment
by this country of "the greatest air
commerce and transportation sys-
tenn under the flag of any nation"
He warmly commended Pan-Ameri-
can for its courage and enterprise
in pioneering the way for the world
in the development of these giant
flying boats
r. Walton Moore. counselor for
the State Department., also hailed
the Clipper as evidence of the vigor
OF American private enterprise" and
pointed out that never before had
such an assemblage been gathered
to witness the christening of an air.
line intended for crossing the North
Atlantic in regular service
Senator Bailey of North Carolina.
chairman of the Senate Commerce
Committee, welcomed the Clipper
and her five sister ships, one of
which yesterday completed the Pa
cific crossing from San Francisco to
Hong Kong, as instruments of in
ternational commerce, and, there
fore, of peace and good will"
"They will bear to the Nations
assurance, stronger than the words
of statesmen. that the United States
Is yet as capable of pioneering in
enterprise as in the best days of our
domestic progress; that we are not
1solatlonlsts. as some contend, nor
would-be world policemen, nor
judges of other nations, as others
may suspect; that we recognize our
place in the world economy. and
propose only to assume our RESPONSE
bility and do our part: that we have
a stake in the welfare of everv
people, and that we are deternoined