The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-01-15

task-we are exceedingly happy at
the thought that we were able to
justify the confidence placed in us.
1t IS true, good luck Yves with the
expedition, an element which is also
quite essential in the case If expedi-
lions invo urexplore@ regions. And,
indeed in most cases we encountered
favorable winds; when we needed
sunshine we had it. AS the sailors
say. tie weather WIS with us. Of
course, TIC very o! tosite happened,
too; we would have boon Eured with
out good storm and unexpected
obstacles. But, on the whole, our
expedition had good luck.
By the way, we were able to FORE
cast the weather. Our weather SER
vice was being conducted very
thoroughly. The geophysicist, V. A.
Berezkin, using the meteorological
radio reports Of the Soviet Union,
as well as those Of England, Nor
way, Sweden and Denmark, was
drawing up detailed synoptical maps
which enabled us to foresee the
weather.
Now, what were the results of the
'Krassin" expedition?
Our cruise is to be divided into
two periods. The first period in
cluded the rescue of the two Italian
groups. While one could have been
confident of the rescue of the Wig
lieri group, the discovery of Zappi
and Mariana was practically a mir
acle. Responsible for this success
was the coordination of which
spoke before--the combination of
ice-hreaker, airplane and radio. And,
in addition, another little thing-the
disregard Of personal interests in
the name of the common good.
How strange was it to read sub
sequently in the European press the
admiring voices referring to this
"self-sacrifice." For our aviators,
for all of us, this was something
quite usual, quite natural. 1t would
not have occurred to any one of US
first to save "our own people," and
then to go to the rescue of the
strangers" We knew that our men
would hold out, and that it was ne
cessary to hurry to the rescue of
the others who were losing their
courage in the midst of the icy
wastes.
Were our men and the boat ex-
posed to any danger? Of course
they were; otherwise it would have
been impossible to effect the rescue.
Our ice-breaker was mortally wound
ed; deprived of one screw blade,
with damaged rudder, we were
risking too much, and the entire
personnel of the expedition were
fully conscious Of it. But could we
have acted otherwise, and stop our
further progress? Of course not. 1t
would have been a disgrace-and SO
we achieved our purpose.
The second period, after the re-
pairs effected in the docks of STAY
anger--was not easier than the first
one. The late fall, or more exactly,
the beginning of winter in the Polar
region, unfavorable meteorological
conditions, the frost, the appearance
of new ice-all this greatly handi-
capped our activities.
Nevertheless, / am convinced that
we did every conceivable thing that
was in our power. Our aviators
were carrying out flights at time
when nobody else was ready to do
so. "Krassin" carefully scrutinized
hundreds of thousands of SQUARE
miles, unfortunately without results:
but this was not our fault. At any
rate, in the course of our research
we went as far as 81 AZ Of northern
latitude, point that was never
reached by another boat at that time
OF the year. Being exactly cognizant
of the time when the catastrophe of
the italia" occurred, as well as of
the meteorological conditions obtain
ing at that time, we mapped out the
region which we were going to ex-
plore, and in doing so we reached
the location in which, since 1707,
Giles Land was supposed to be stu
ated, but we did not find it. Such
q land does not exist. We have, so
to speak, crossed it on our ice-break-
err.
Thereafter we went to Franz
Joseph Land and established a depot
on Cape Neal of Prince George
Land. Should anybody drift into this
direction, he can find food, clothing
and shelter on that cape. Moreover,
due to strong wind and ice washed
to the shore, we had great Difficult
ties in leaving that shore on barge
and in reaching our ship. What could
be done? Such trips are not being
made without risk.
What about our scientific work?
For the first time exact meteoro-
logical observations were being made
at that altitude; they were being
daily reported by radio to our geo
physical laboratory, and to the geo.
physical institutes in Bergen and
Tromso. 1t is obvious that these