(See front cover)
Eight years ago, as Charles A. Lindbergh peered at the lights of France through the periscope of his Spirit of St. Louis, he dreamed of a huge airliner which would some day span oceans on regular commercial schedule. Last week such an airliner, final fruition of Lindbergh's dream, soared up from San Francisco Bay, droned westward on the first flight of a regular commercial schedule across the Pacific Ocean.
The great flying ship was the China Clipper, largest type of plane yet built in the U. S. Glenn Luther Martin spent three years constructing it in his Baltimore factory from specifications laid down by Colonel Lindbergh. At the China Clipper wheel last week was a great if unspectacular pilot named Edwin C. Musick, whose eyes, after 11,000 hours in the air, have acquired a permanent squint from staring at distant horizons.
Fanfare. Since last week's flight was the first act of a performance for which they have been rehearsing for four years, Pan American officials decided to start it with a flourish. Because the China Clipper's cargo was entirely mail, Postmaster General Farley was asked to play the lead in the hour's program. Other speaking parts were taken by Pan American's President Juan Terry Trippe, California's Governor Frank Finley Merriam, Hawaii's Governor Joseph Boyd Poindexter, Senator William Gibbs McAdoo, the Philippine's President Manuel Quezon, China Clipper's Captain Musick, and the personified "Voices" of Pan American bases at Honolulu, Midway, Wake, Guam, Manila. By a complicated use of short wave, all these scattered personalities chimed in with appropriate sentiments which were broadcast over a nationwide hookup. At Alameda a crowd of 20,000 clustered about a platform on the flat, sandy spit, paid less attention to the speeches than to the Clipper, which floated, its motors idling, a few yards off the ramp. There was little applause when Postmaster Farley arrived, looking glum. There was no applause when Governor Merriam, trudging across the beach, remarked: "Ah, footprints in the sands of time." Shy, young (37) President Trippe rose to act as toastmaster:
"Today the first U. S. airmail starts over a regular course destined for the Philippines, 8,000 miles away. Succeeding schedules will be extended on to the coast of China. . . . Before many months a three-day service from America to Asia will be established on regular schedules."
Postmaster General Farley brought a message from President Roosevelt: "Congratulations from an air-minded sailor. . . . They tell me that the inauguration of the transpacific sky mail, also celebrates the 100th anniversary of the arrival of the first clipper ship in San Francisco."*
Next from the loudspeakers crackled the high-pitched voice of Philippine President Quezon: "The people of the East send greetings. . . . What far-reaching facilities for our mutual commerce! For travel! For international understanding! For peace!"
Governor Merriam: "A new concept of the world begins!"
Governor Poindexter: "How swiftly moves the history of the world!"
Senator McAdoo : "It seems incredible!"
Mr. Trippe: "China Clipper, are you ready?"
Capt. Musick: "Standing by for orders, sir."