Boy

Between Indiana and Philadelphia lie some 600 miles of fat midlands, coal-seamed Alleghanies and factory-dotted coastal plains. It is a tedious train trip; wise people take the sleeper. By automobile it is more pleasant; the roads are excellent and through the Pennsylvania mountains there are gorgeous views. But best of all is to fly it. Then you can soar above the farmlands, circle and behold the cities like great wens on the face of nature, swoop up and over the mountains, dallying if you like on the long downward slant to peer off east to the continent's end and the long Atlantic ground swell. Last week a boy of 14, Farnan Parker of Anderson, Ind., stepped into his plane and flew from his home to Philadelphia. He took his time, stopping twice en route, arriving in 18 hours. His mother, an accomplished aviatrix, was following him by train. He was more or less waiting for her. Then Farnan proceeded to Washington and sought out his Congressman, Representative Albert H. Vestal. The latter introduced him to the House, which applauded. Platis were arranged for Farnan to appear before the House Mili tary Committee, now investigating the national aircraft situation and give his testimony on what youth can, does and should do in the air. A licensed pilot since he was 13, the young man can navigate the subtle technicalities of aeronautical theory quite as readily as he copes in practice with air-pockets, cross winds, cloud banks and wind squalls.