Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-02-02
The Woman
Who Gave Hitler
AHeadaChe

IT WAS who gave Britain the now famous Spit
fire fighting plane Yet when a hundred people were
asked recently where the first Sptfre came from not
could remember it's origin.
But there are some people and they want
striking memorial erected to Lady Lucy Houston known
the mother Of the Spitfre
For had Lucy Houston been gifted with magma
ton and blessed with patriotic heart it is possible that
Britain would by this time have been beaten by Germany
For her money given ia remarkable way. created the
fore-runner Of the modern Spitllre.
That why move IS under way to erect a really
memorial to this amazing Englishwoman but she viii
be easy mmortaze in either stone cement
TO Brtshers Lucy Houston ontv cceen-
tric old who did amazing things with her money
But the Royal Air Force renebers her for the way she
helped them their early struggles Particularly her
amazing gift 81 100000 that enabled Britain
pete in the Schneider Cup Race of 1881.
Britain had the Schneider Trophy Race in 1927
and 1929 and when her airmen challenged third
time by the Italians. was generally hoped that the
trophy would become Brtains for good. But such
umph seemed impossible when the government sad
not justified in approprating money for such purpose
Then Lady Houston offered 81 100000 for the
struction Of the plane In record time II built
the trained and the schneider Trophy became Btans
At the TIME most people thought Lady Houston
just wealthy sportswoman who generously helped her
country keep flag flying Rut this machine gave
the necessary data to the lannon's designer Mitchell Of
Vckers to hlld fighting machine that would combine
the speed of the Schneider Cup vctors with special
maneaverability for fighting So the spfre became the
worlds finest and fastest fighter
Britain owes than Spitfire fighters
Lady Houston For her goes much credit for
high fving which makes Britains bombers so successful
She provided the money for that remarkable expedition
India fly Mount Everest In those days anything
above $4,000 feet considered impossible. But Lady
through the Clydesdae expedition proved that
airpancs could fly up TO 10000 feet Thanks to her
crosby gadgets devised engines adapted which
Clydesdaes plane well the summit of the highest
mountain in the world and laid the foundation Of system
flying which proved revolutionary the present
that achievement too. leaders OF Britain's fly
ing world are suggesting Lucy deserves
great memorial And since prize Of 500 pounds being
offered for the appropriate design unique sug
gestons expected But the most popular of all far
Britans successful Sptre squadron should
be named for her
After Britain had won Schneider Cup Lady Houston
offered another 81 100000 to the ito supple
ment national defense" But paciis Ramsay Macdonald
down the offer saying that money could only be
given the for the public eXchequer and
particular purpose Retorting that mystihed
a ridiculous answer, Lady Houston kept the
open for years in the government changed
mind But it didn't and she finally withdrew the offer
On another occasion when her third husband Sin
Richard Houston, died and left her fortune of
900 she found that he died outside England
the Channel Islands, his estate free of all death
duties. This did not seem right to Lady Houston who
claimed that she subject to the ordinary laws
country just like other Enelshwomen. So with a char
aceristic she wrote check for 600 the
equivalent the death duties and it gov
ernment gift This but of benc-
factions 70 the British public.
Lady Houston lived in an old house in Hampstead
the London where the ceilings black
the walls saffron She changed the decorations
some every month She designed her furniture
according to her moods every year and than
one occasion spent weeks the poorer slums Of
London that she could go back to her house and
fully appreciate the good fortune which hers"
In her luxurious yacht she had expensive GYM
nasum. She did not it, and allowed no one else to
do So each day. when she was aboard every MEM
had to go below decks a certain hour
her adyshp took her constitutional the
upper deck without stitch of clothing '
she hired large choir of male singers whom,
back-faced she sent to serenade Cabinet Minister she
did not like Another time she showed her dspleasre
with certain prominent public by hiring worlnen
to all his telephone electric light, water and gas
commnica while gangs of workmen pretended 10 no
busy trying repair them for week
Even in DEATH she showed her eccentricitv Whom
1885 leaving $50 900 600 will found
1t finally to light almost months later