Evening star., 1942-01-03

spiked shoes in getting to the en-
listment office. During the % days
from the time the Japanese at
tackled until Mr.. Lindbergh com.
municated with 1t. Gen. Henry II.
Arnold tens Of thousands Of Ameri-
cans who didn't know q fuselage
from a wingspread had laid their
services on the line.
But this does not make Mr. Lind
bergh open for criticism. His delay
is perfectly understandable, and for
more reasons than one.
In the first place, as nearest Of
kin to the America First COMMITTEES
he had to see that final services fos
it were properly carried out. Then
he had to go through the wake, ths
subsequent hangover, and a decent
period of mourning. He had htta
help in this. The other Ame1icS
Firsters were much too busy scraua
bling to the other side Of ths 1eno1
to offer much assistance.
When all this was done, Mr.. Ind
bergh had to settle down in the
deepest uneasy chair in his ivory
tower and figure out Just where hs
fitted in the new scheme Of things.
This couldn't have been easy,
The chances are that he had almost
forgotten that he was an aviator.
1t had been so long since plotting
a plane hadn't been secondary to
writing speeches. hiring halls. for
mulating political and economic
theories, and generally being . vast
thinker, that the fact that the one
thing he did well was to kick
plane around in the skies had all
but escaped him.
AS a matter of fact. 1t is entirely
possible that the man had forgotten
how to fly plane. Who knows but
that during the months Of beating
around this country as a stump
speaker he lost the knack Of three
point landings and taking of into
the wind? Maybe he spent those %
days learning to fly again.
Before we criticize the Lone
Eagle" in any way, let us fnd out
the truth.
1t is entirely conceivable that he
has been practicing bombing over
some remote field, using bundles Of
his old appeasement speeches a.
bombs There can be no denying
that they would make perfect
"duds" for such q trial.
Perhaps he has been condition.
ing himself to the horrible sounds
OF war (air-raid sirens, vhistlfng
bombs, etc. by listening to a play
back of the records Of some of his
old American First speeches.
Perhaps he has been melting down
his medals. including the lavaliere
Gen. Goering draped around his
neck, and casting them into bullets.
But If I had only one guess as to
what he has been doing this would
be it:
Wondering how he could oblit-
crate all his words and deeds Of
the past year or so and get in there
and pitch against the enemies Of
this country. Somewhere along the
line he was grievously misled and
he must know it and sincerely
regret it.
He should be given . chance to
prove it.
Just because he lost his bearings
on the speakers platform and
ground looped all over the place is
no reason to condemn him as an
aviator. After all, he didn't have
the best set Of instructors In the
world when he tried his hand at
craftsmanship. A couple Of those
who sought to teach him would
cause any one to crack up.
Now that the man is back to
first principles, has returned to
his element, the air Of the heavens.
and abandoned the hot air Of the
platform he should be granted the
privilege to serve.
The prodigal hero has returned.
The Government needn't neces-
sarily kill the fatted calf in his
honor, mind you, but 1t should not
shut the door In his face. The
mans letter to Gen. Arnold sounded
as if he would even be grateful to
eat at the second table.
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