The Washington times., 1917-04-28
SHACKLETON IN US.
ON HIS WAY TO WAR
Sir Ernest, Heroic Antarctic
Explorer, Makes Light of
Hardships.

NEW YORK, April 2S.-A broad
shouldered. square-jawed man. his
rugged face breaking into smiles OF
depreciation as he talked OF hardships
in foreign wilds. IL Lieut.. Sir Ernest
Shackleton, the Antartic explorer. who
is here for a few days on his way to
England. He Is bound home from the
land of eternal ice to take a part In
the war.
One expected to find In the man
who has, come up from the frigid end
OF the world a figure marked with
the visible evidences OF his struggle
for the persistent attempts OF Sir
Ernest to rescue his comrades on the
Ross Barrier, the attempts which
failed again and again in the crush
ing ice and driving gales. and were
finally successful, have gone down In
the history OF exploration as among
the most gallant of human endeavors.
But in the powerful frame OF Sir
Ernest are none OF the signs OF ply
sical weariness; his face IL tanned
with a healthy color, his hair Is al
most raven black save for a tinge
Of gray at the ears, and he Is as
light on his feet as an All-American
halfback. He looks as II he could
walk up to an iceberg and bite 1t in
two.
Prefers to Discuss the War.
Most significant, OF all. however,
was the way in which he subordi-
mated himself and his rescues to the
greater struggle In Europe. He did
not want to talk about himself. of
how he braved death itself more than
a score OF times to. save his COM
rades.
srh. ,..- A.. 49,. . dIH.r.nt ,,.t
ter. His eyes sparkIed and his man
ner grew tense when he spoke OF
that and the way in which its full
Significance had burst upon him when
he came out OF the ice. He had offer
ed his services and his ship to the
King, and was told to go ahead and
complete his work. So he sailed
away into the south just after the
start of the war. and he did not come
out till May, 1915. After the long
battle to reach South Georgia he
went up to the wireless operator and
his first question was:
when was the war over%
Then in twenty minutes II all
burst upon me-" he said yesterday.
"Gas bombs. Zeppelin raids. liquid
FIRE. the Lusitania, the onrush OF the
Germans and their check at the Marne
and the long after-hght. j cannot tell
you the impression II made on me. / was
in the position of the reader OF his
tory long after II Is made. with no
gradual accumulation OF impressions.
We were probably the only persons In
the world to get q real historical per-
spective on the war, and at once j
knew that Germany had lost, that she
could not win, and the great sequence
OF events fell into shape and meant
victory for the allies. 1t was curious
Eager .Te Enter the Fray.
Just what Sir Ernest intends to do
in the war he would not say. He has
a good idea. but Il Is not for him. he
intimated, TO tell in what way he can
best serve his country.
Sir Ernest was reluctant to express
his views on conscription for fear ne
might seem TO be prompting or even
criticising our Government.
"I am merely a visitor here" he
said, but Judging from what Eng
land suffered in the early days OF the
war conscription Is the only way out
for any country. The volunteer system
is played out. You don't want 10
throw away the flower Of your man
hood as did England. There will be
other battles to night and we Will
have to depend on America 10 heIp
furnish the men and the genius 10
| night them.
"AustraIIa did not have conscrip
tIon. IL is true. and she volunteered
$50 900 men out of population oil
| Z. 900 900. but the volunteer system
is beginning 40 fail them in keeping
IN the drafts necessary to keep this
large force in the field. At the last
referendum conscription was defeated
by a large vote, but sentiment Is
changing. Another election Is pend
| ing and I should not be surprised II
conscription carried by large ma
jority."
Sir Ernest Is greatly pleased at the
entrance Of the United States into the
| war.