Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-17
BYRD'S SOUTH POLE /
FLIGHT OUTLINED
Commander, in Address, Re-
veaIs General Plans for Ex-
pIoring Antarctic Continent.

Comdr. Richard +. Byrd. foremost
aviator explorer of the world. first to
fly to the North Pole and hero of
an adventurous flight across the At
lantic last Summer. revealed his gen.
eral plans for the proposed flight to
the South Pole next September and
explorations Of the vast and barren
Antarctic continent last night TO
members of the National Geographic
Society who packed the Washington
Auditorium.
introduced by DIR. Gilbert Grosvenor,
president of the society, Comdr. BYRD
acknowledged the grant of $4,000
from the exploration funds of the
society voted him by its trustees
recently and indicated that in add.
ton to being a scientific quest he also
considered his flight good will enter
prise in respect to the 10 republics of
South America.
The Antarctic continent, one and a
half times the size of the United
States, he said, Is ''the last great chal-
lenge to the explorer and aviator.
Comdr. Byrd added that it is 1.-The
stormiest and coolest region in the
world, the home of the blizzard. Ter
rife storms spring up suddenly in
is unknown Businesses of ice and
snow and towering mountain peaks
and blow with great fury at times
for days on end. The average wind
velocity for the period of n year
noted by Sir Douglas Mawson was
so miles an hour"
Applause for Lindbergh.
The flying commander was APP
plaused when he mentioned Col. Lind
berghs mission of good will to Mexico.
Some months ago when l informed
the board of trustees of the National
Geographic Society of our proposed
expedition" said the explorer, Il en-
phasized the Importance of the flight
and its good will aspects. l wish to
emphasize this publicly here.
Il like to think that our eXplora-
lions of the great unknown Antarctic
continent. and our aerial conquest of
the South Pole, if we succeed, will be
an all-American achievement-and by
that mean both North and South
America.
1.-The flyers who crossed the Atlantic
last Summer were hailed not only for
their aerial victory. but also as good
will ambassadors to Europe. Col.
Lindbergh has helped cement the
friendship of the United States and
Mexico. The interest and cooperation
of the South American reublics indi-
Gates already that ours will be good
will fight so far as our neighbor con-
tinent is concerned.
Geography will make 1t that. South
America extends 1000 miles nearer
the South Pole than any other CONT
nent. We will leave South Ameri-
can base for our quest. II our me-
observations are OF value
they will be of greatest immediate util-
ity in weather predictions for South
America.
Cites Valuable By.product.
Though, as l have stated. our pur.
pose is scientific exploration, a valuable
by-product will be the cementing of
good will between the United States
and its historic friends. the 10 re-
publics of South America. The air
peace and good will And if our flight
adds to the ties OF common govern
ment ideals. OF national anfty Of long
standing. and the friendliness already
engendered by the pan-Americzn good
win flight OF Maj Herbert A. Dargue
and his associates, II will, indeed, have
been worth while"
Speaking Of the area to be explored
and the plans Of the expedition.
Ccmdr. Byrd said: The natural won
ders that the explorer IL sure to find
capture my imagination. The great
ice bulwarks which surround the con
tinent have held back the explorer.
but IL seems to me that aviation can
surmount and conquer these barriers
and lay bare her secrets.
Whatever trail we follow toward
the South Pole. we will from our fight
altitude be looking down into areas
never before seen. Our base will be
at the threshold of UNEMPLOYED areas,
and when we fly into them we hope,
with our mapping cameras, to fill in
some of the great white blank spaces
now on the maps of school children, at
the rate of 100 miles an hour.
THE primary object of the expedi-
ton is scientific and we hope to plant
the American flag at the South Pole.
The Antarctic continent has more eff
feet on weather conditions than any
other region in the world. We will
have a chance to study the glacioiogy
of land in the grip of one ice Age.
We hope to photograph geological sec
tons of the rugged mountainous cliffs,
and we shall search for fossil remains
in efforts to disclose something of the
past.
I'VE will carry our personnel and
equipment to the great ice barrier
which surrounds the continent In a
ship specially made to Withstand the
ice, and we will make our base on the
ice of the great Ross Barrier. We will
take three planes and with them hope
to Law bases down 100 miles apart
toward the Pole, and on the very edge
of the UNEMPLOYED region. The work
of the planes will be augmented ny
special motor toboggans and O.
teams.
I'VE expect to take 6 Eskimos
with us and at least 12 members of
the expedition will be experts in Are
tic work"
Reviews Macmillan Expedition.
Prior to discussing his plans for the
South Pole fight, Comdr. Byrd re-
viewed his part in the Macmillan
Arctic Expedition under the auspices
of the Geographic Society, the North
Pole flight and the transatlantic flight,
Motion pictures graphically portray
ing these expeditions were shown, to-
gether with a short reel dealing with
the flight of the Navy NC boats to the
Azores in which he played a promi.
nent part in the navigational prepare.
tons.
When pictures were flashed on the
screen showing the award OF the
Hubbard Medal of the Geographic
Society to him, Comdr Byrd explained
this was the same honor conferred
upon Col. Lindbergh a short time age
and added, I'VE are proud to welcome
Col Lindbergh to the ranks of the