Show X rr R. R Rep Burton Reports From Washington 4 Moon Astronauts auts Quip 0 on- on on Bible Read Reading J By Rep Laurence J. J Burton Utah R-Utah I The story Is told that Benjamin Benjamin Ben Ben- jamin Franklin witnessed the the first manned manned balloon balloon ascension while he was our Minister to France This early aero spectacle was staged by the MontgolfIer Brothers Infield in a afield afield field outside Paris A woman standing near him wondered aloud Of what possible possible pos pos- sible use is that thing Of what use Madame is a baby Franklin replied No doubt there are some people peo peo- pie who are wondering about the utility and wisdom of spending spending spend spend- ing tens of billions of dollars and using thousands of our best scientists and technicians to to go to the moon As a matter matter mat mat- ter of fact I heard President Eisenhower crack one time Anybody who would spend forty billion dollars to go to the moon is nuts OF WHAT use might be remains to be seen but there can be no doubt that thata a whale of a baby was born with the flight fit of Apollo 8 three short weeks ago A week ago the three astronauts astronauts astro astro- who managed the flight Frank Frank Frank-Borman Borman Jim Lovell and Bill Anders addressed a Joint Session of Congress We were all Impressed with their clean clean- cut appearance and the relaxed manner in which they addressed address address- ed a group that would put most of us into shock the House the Senate the Cabinet Ambassadors and the Supreme Court I Not so with the fearless three They ac act acted pd d as though they were merely talking to their families j jI I WAS impressed with the sense of humor frank Borman the mission commander hasHe has He Ile was introduced first to the joint session and he said he wanted to introduce his copilots co- co pilots ts to us 18 end presented C Captain Captain Cap Cap- p. p tain Lovell He then noted wry wry- lv Iv that he was reluctant to turn the microphone over to him because every time he let fet Wm tim have the mike on the light I seldom got It back Lovell gave a short serious talk concerning our American feeling of pride satisfaction and achievement It was a afine afine afine fine message and apparently Borman thought so too because when Lovell gave him back the mike Borman quipped Now Im I'm not sure I want it back Jim after that THE MISSION Commander then introduced Colonel Anders who gave a a similarly fine line little talk Then Borman gave a somewhat somewhat some some- what lengthier report on the Mission part of which is as follows Now as you all know the flight has been very well covered but there was one significant significant sig sig- accomplishment that has gone rather unnoticed and andI I would like to take note of ItI it today if I may I I think that one I of the things that was truly historic was that we were able I Ito I to get good Roman Catholic Catholic Bill Anders to read the first four verses of the King James Version laughter Then Vorman looked directly at Chief Justice Earl Warren and the Associate Justices Justice's seated seated seat seat- ed td with dignity and pomp in their black judicial robes on the front row and said But now that I see the gentlemen here hereIn hereIn herein In the front row I am not sure we should Lave read the Bible at all The House erupted into applause and cheers to the general consternation I am sure of f the tile solemn magistrates THE SAME EVENING Members Members Mem Mem- bers of Congress were invited to bring their families to the Smithsonian Institution for a 1 report on the flight by the three pilots Jan and I took Laurence 9 and Sally 13 and left Susan 16 18 home studying for a test We saw some movies in color that hat had been taken from the spacecraft The views of earth from the moon were fantastic At White House ceremonies earlier in the day cay our humorous humor humor- ous s flight commander a announced ed t to President e Johnson Mr President President we we brought you a picture of the ranch and gave him a a beautiful color photo of the planet earth as seen from the moon Massachusetts Institute of Technology had put its mathematicians mathematicians math math- and computers to work on solving the problems of entering re-entering the atmosphere at unheard of speed with a capsule weight 44 tons without burning the capsule and astronauts to toa toa toa a cinder as per a falling star THEY WORKED out the necessary re entry re-entry entry data and said it would be a success but Borman told us at the Smithsonian Smith that as the craft began to hit the earths earth's atmosphere it was as dark as pitch but gradually gradually grad grad- the outside of ot their then space spaceship spaceship spaceship ship got brilliantly red hot and sparks began to fly and he said Suddenly it was so bright inside inside in in- side the ship that it was like being inside a neon tube all caused by the heat and friction of coming back to earth Ill I'll confess to you About that time I began to think those guys down there at M MIT M.I.T. IT had better be as smart as they think they are are In view of Bormans Borman's refer refer- that morning to the Supreme Court I was interested interest interest- ed to see Chief Justice Earl Warren sitting on the front row at the evening program At the conclusion of the report Laurence and Sally got the Astronomical Astronauts Autographs and I took them over to shake hands with the Chief Justice I suggested to Mr Chief Justice Warren that Astronaut Frank Borman seemed to have havea a sharp sense of humor and the Chief Justice allowed as ashow ashow ashow how Mr Borman did INDEED have a fine wit |