Evening Star
- Death toll now 400 in Miami storm zone; Pensacola hard hit
- Reservation must stand at Geneva
- Two flyers killed as Fonck’s plane crashes on takeoff
The page juxtaposes uncertain hurricane reports with a fatal aviation attempt and a dispute over America’s terms for joining the World Court. Railroad employees describe destruction at Pensacola while acknowledging that they have made no casualty survey. The aviation passage identifies two trapped crewmen and two surviving pilots, preserving a reported warning as a report. In Washington, Coolidge’s resistance to altering Senate reservations is presented as a condition on international participation.
Translation
Death toll now 400 in Miami storm zone; Pensacola hard hit
The railroad men in the district were not certain as to loss of life, but they reported “terrible conditions.”
The city of Pensacola was ravaged by a hurricane that reached a velocity of more than 100 miles an hour.
This report said “many were injured,” but the nature of the casualties was not known. The employees had not been able to make a survey.
Reservation must stand at Geneva
President Coolidge does not see how the fifth reservation, dealing with advisory opinions, adopted by the Senate when agreeing to American adherence to the World Court, can be modified or changed, it was made clear at the White House today. Neither does the President sympathize with any proposal to modify the fifth reservation or any of the other four reservations.
The revelation of the attitude of the President toward suggested plans from a committee of World Court member nations meeting in Geneva for the modification of the fifth reservation adopted by the Senate was interpreted here as notice that the American reservations must be accepted as they are if the United States is now to become a member of the World Court.
Two flyers killed as Fonck’s plane crashes on takeoff
They were Charles Clavier, French radio operator, and Jacob Islamoff, Russian mechanic. They were trapped in the closed cabin of the huge three-motored biplane.
Capt. Fonck, the French ace in command of the flight, and Lieut. Lawrence W. Curtin, U.S.N., American alternate pilot, leaped to safety before the plane burst into flames.
Igor Sikorsky, Russian designer and builder of the plane, could not be located immediately after the tragedy. He was reported to have begged in tears last night that the flight be postponed because of a crosswind that endangered the takeoff.
Context
A hurricane crossing Florida twice
The storm that struck Miami on September 18 crossed into the Gulf of Mexico before reaching the Pensacola region on September 20. A report from Pensacola therefore follows a new landfall, not simply continuing damage in Miami. The disaster was spreading across separated communities while relief was already under way in the south.
Railway workers as witnesses
The first account from Pensacola comes from railway employees rather than a completed casualty survey. Transport workers could describe conditions along their route while whole neighborhoods remained beyond their reach. Their presence in the report shows how restoring movement and assembling information were intertwined: officials needed access to damaged districts before they could organize a regional response.
What the fifth reservation protected
The World Court was the Permanent Court of International Justice. The Senate’s fifth reservation required public procedures for advisory opinions and American consent before the court considered a question in which the United States had, or claimed, an interest. The dispute concerned control over legal advice as well as cases between states: Washington wanted protection even when it was not a party to a lawsuit.
Why Geneva could not simply accept Washington’s terms
The Senate had made acceptance of its reservations a condition of American participation. In Geneva, existing members also had to consider how one country’s demands would affect a court serving many states. Their September discussions distinguished equal participation from a power to veto institutional changes. Coolidge’s refusal to compromise tightened the gap between the domestic terms of approval and the international agreement still needed.
Why fly nonstop to Paris?
The S-35 was built for the Orteig prize, offered for a nonstop New York–Paris flight. Success promised prestige for the crew and attention for Sikorsky’s aircraft business. The article’s French commander, American alternate pilot and Russian designer reflect the international ambition behind an attempt that failed before leaving New York.
An ocean crossing began with the difficulty of takeoff
The aircraft needed auxiliary landing gear to carry the exceptional weight of its Atlantic configuration. That equipment was intended to be discarded after takeoff. The design highlights the immediate problem behind a long-distance record: carrying the load into the air safely. The newspaper’s account of two men trapped inside the cabin makes that ground-level risk painfully concrete.
Original
DEATH TOLL NOW 400 IN MIAMI STORM ZONE; PENSACOLA HARD HIT
The railroad men in the district were not. certain as to loss of i
life. !>ut they reported “terrible conditions.”
I he city of Pensacola was ravaged by a hurricane that reached I
a velocity ut more than 1 (X) miles an hour.
I lii> report said “many were injured,” but the nature of the j
casualties was not known. The employes had not been able to i
make a survev.
RESERVATION MUST STAND AT GENEVA
President Coolidge does not see how
the lifih reservation, dealing with ad
visory opinions, adopted by the Sen
ate when agreeing to A meric At ad
herence to the World Court, can be
modified or changed, it was made
clear at the White House today.
Neither does tlie* President sympathize
with any proposal to modify the fifth
reservation or any of the other four
reservations.
The revelation of the attitude of
the President toward suggested
plans from a committee of World
Court member nations meeting in
Geneva for the modification of the
fifth reservation adopted by the Sen
ate was interpreted here as notice
that the American reservations must
he accepted as they are if the United
States is now to become a member
of the World Court.
TWO FLYERS KILLED IN CRASH OF FONCK PLANE TAKING OFF
They were Charles Clavier. French
radio operator, and Jacob Islamoff.
Russian mechanic. They were trapped
in the closed cabin of the huge three
motored biplane.
Capt. Fonck. the French ace in com
mand of the flight, and Lieut. Law
rence TV. Curtin, lb S. N., American
alternate pilot, leaped to safety be
fore the plane burst into flames.
Igor Sikorsky, Russian designer
and builder of the plane, could not bo
located immediately after the tragedy.
He was reported to have begged in
tears last night that the flight be
postponed because of a cross winii
that endangered the take-off.
Source: Holding institution