Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-12
"7SCLUB" FORMED
BY BYRD AND MEN
Members of North and South
Pole Expeditions Make Up
Organization.
BY RUSSELL OWEN.
BY Radio to The Star and The New York
Times.


Times.
LITTLE AMERICA, Antarctiea, May
10.-Yesterday was a great day In
camp. We celebrated the anniversary
of Comdr. Byrds flight over the North.
Pole with turkey dinner and formed
. Seventy eighth Club The members
are those of the Byrd exeditions who
have been north and south of latitude
70, for both Kings Bay and Little
America are inside those northern and
southern limits.
The dinner was a surprise for Comdr.
Byrd The room was decorated with
flags and the table set with real white
cloth.
Those who were the first at the fes-
tive board were the ones who had been
at Spitzbergen on the North Pole expe-
dition, IA in all, including the COM
mander, while the others perched on
their hunks and had bits of turkey
Haunted in their faces for the good Of
their appetites.
Gavel and Insignia Symbolic.
Comdr. Byrd was made president
of the club and he presided with
gavel made for him by Victor Czegsa,
cur machinist. It was a globe of lignuIn
vitae with the poles and the Arctic
and Antarctic circles marked on it, the
commanders name, set in silver pegs
ard the globe mounted on handle
made in imitation of long-range naval
gun.
The insignia of the club was drawn
by Bernt Balchen. 1t is circle with
the figure rs in the center, plane
on ono side and polar bear at the
top and penguin at the bottom.
The purpose of the club, which Is to
keep alive the associations formed dur
ing the whole course Of the expedition,
was outlined by G.. Hamilton Black,
who was also at Spitzbergen, and who
expressed the loyalty and devotion OF
The men both here and in New Zealand
to the commander and their determi-
nation to give whole hearted efforts
toward the success of the expedition.
I'VE will follow you anywhere in
the world, any time, commander, and
we want you to know it," said Black.
Messages to Women Back Home.
Messages were also sent to Mrs.
Richard E. Byrd, jr., wife of the COM
mander; to his mother, Mrs. Richard
E. Byrd, and to Mrs. Floyd Bennett,
the widow of the commanders COM
panion on the North Pole fight. The
message to the commanders wife, in
Boston, was as 1OIIOWS:
1.-THE members Of the commanders
expedition, who take pleasure IN doing
him honor on this anniversary OF his
North Pole fight, send you their greet
ings and all their best wishes.
1--WE want you to know that we ap-
preciate the sacrifices you have made,
that in giving him our unself1sh loyalty
and ungrudglng efforts we are doing
what we can to live up to the example
you have set us.
May the coming year bring you every
happiness"
The message to the commanders
mother, at Richmond, Va, reads:
ION the anniversary OF the North
Pole fight the members of the Byrd
expedition send their best wishes to
the mother of Tom, Dick and Harry
The flying member of this triunvirate
is being toasted today by those for
whom you have made possible great
adventure by giving sto the world d
worthy SON." v
And to Mrs. Bennett was sent this
message: 3
"On the anniversary of the North
gained an undying fame we think OF
him and his high character and send
you our warm greetings and best
wishes" y
After the dinner moving pictures OF
the North Pole flight were shown and
the first news reel ever shown In the
Antarctic, showing the City of New
York leaving New York on the long
voyage south. ''Taps" was little later
than usual, and it was voted great
day.
BY The New York Times Comnany. and The
st. Louis Post-Dispatch. All rights Tor
publication reserved through
out the world.