Twenty thousand persons waited in vain at the Warsaw Airdrome yesterday in the expectation of seeing Charles A. Levine in the trans-Atlantic plane Columbia make a triumphant arrival in the country in which his father was born.
The Polish War Office had received reports that the Columbia, with Clarence D. Chamberlin at the helm and Levine as his companion, had crossed the Polish-German border and was headed for Warsaw. The American flyers were still in Kottbus at that time.
Military planes were ordered to take off and meet the Americans to escort them to Warsaw for a formal reception, and huge crowds rushed to the airfield and waited for several hours before it was definitely learned that the Americans were at a banquet given by the municipality of Kottbus and were preparing to go to Berlin in the afternoon.
Premier Mussolini yesterday sent a message to American Ambassador Fletcher congratulating him on the trans-Atlantic flight of the Columbia. The Premier, in his message, referred with pride to the fact that the plane had been designed and constructed by Guiseppe Bellanca, who was born in Sicily.
“I wish to renew testimony of my profound admiration and also that of the entire Italian people for this second flight across the occan which has been accomplished by Chamberlin and Levine in a plane designed and constructed by an Italian,” the Premier wrote.
“By this second and marvelous flight the wings of the United States have undoubtedly been carried to the top of the world of aviation and the names of Lindbergh and Chamberlin will remain forever imprinted in the history of great hardships opening the way to new cycles of civilization.”
Mayor William Johnson of North Adams. Mass.. birthplace of Charles A. Levine, first trans-Atlantic airplane passenger, and Hymon H. Kronick. also of North Adams, yesterday forwarded congratulatory messages to Levine in Berlin through the New York “World.”
“North Adams extends heartiest congratulations on your very remarkable achievement.” Mayor Johnson’s message read. “We trust you will honor us with a visit to this city at your earliest convenience. A royal welcome awaits you and Clarence D. Chamberlin.”
Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Levin, Charles’s father and step-mother, Mr. and Mrs. Millon Nova. Mrs. Levine’s parents, and Eloyse Levine. the nine-year old daughter of Charles A. Levine are sailing tonight on the Columbus to join him in Berlin. Mrs. Levine sailed yesterday on the Berlin of the North German Lloyd line.
Preparations for welcoming Charles A. Levine, who has a summer home at Belle Harbor in the Rockaways. and Clarence D. Chamberlin. are being made by the Chamber of Commerce of the Rockaways. County Judge Algernon I. Nova. a cousin of Levine. has accepted the chairmanship of the Welcoming Committee.
Messages of congratulation were sent to Levine and Chamberlin by the Far Rockaway Board of Trade, the Rockaway Business Men’s Association and other organizations. Peter Mc-Cahill. commnander of the Rockaway post of the Veterans of Foreian Wars, cabled Levine and Chamberlin that they had been elected honorory members of the organization.
A radiogram from Dr. Kreutz. Mayor of Kottbus, Germany. conveying congratulations to the City of New York on the flight was received by Mayor Walker yesterday. Mayor Walker replied, declaring: “We are proud of Chamberlin and Levine. In honoring them Kottbus honors us.”
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
