Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-02
BY RUSSELL OWEN.

BY Wireless to The Star.
LITTLE AMERICA, Antarctica, July
31.-A man in gray shirt, with an
eyeshade shielding his gaze from the
light of lamp overhead, sits in front
of table which is Uttered with oddly
constructed tracings, dividers, parallel
ruler, a protractor and many pieces OF
paper, on which are innumerable calcu-
lationS. He is thoughtfully chewing a
pencil end, leaning back and regarding
the problem before him.
His face is almost hidden by shadow,
but his jaw sticks out as he uncon-
sciously reflects the difficulty of his
task. He might be an engineer, an ar
chitect, scientist engaged in plotting
curves of force.
His costume is puzzling in connec-
ton with his occupation. He wears fur
pants, his feet are incased in shapeless
canvas boots wound with cord.
On the walls of his room hang queer
masks, fur clothing. strangely shaped
garments of wool. Two ski sticks stand
in corner and in another corner is a
lantern and fur boots. At one side is
cot on which is tossed sleeping bag.
This is Comdr. Byrd's workroom, his
sleeping quarters, the table, the
place at which he may generally be
found these days working out many OF
the difficult problems which confront
him as the season of his activity draws
near with the approaching sun.
This is the time of an expedition
leaders greatest responsibility. when he
and his men are making their final
preparations to take the field for the
seasons work.
Problems Faced Are Many.
Comdr. Byrd is now facing those
problems which have always beset lead
ers at such times, problems to which he
has devoted months of thought and
problems which are this time compli-
Gated by several detectives and various
methods of travel. To prepare for the
long train south is one thing, to prepare
for long flights over unknown territory
and insure the safety of all parties
under many different conditions adds
tremendously to the complexity of de-
tail which must be carefully Scrutinized.
There are matters of food and cloth
ing, of proper sleeping tents, dogs, navi-
CATION, personnel and a dozen other
things, each with manifold ramifica-
lions which occupy his mind, as they
have thoughts of the other leaders who
have made Antarctic history.
Travelling 500 miles on foot, as the
Southern party plans to do to accom-
plish its geological work in the dis
tant mountains. involves being away
from the base for three months. Every
possible contingency must be provided
for before the teams start.
But in addition to all these matters
there are the very different problems
connected with aviation to which
Comdr Byrd must give his attention.
The flight to the Pole. for instance,
is not simple flight of 800 miles in
land and back again. 1t is a flight
for hundreds of miles over a rolling
barrel surface, and then a rampant of
mountains $4,000 feet high looms up,
over which the plane must climb before
continuing its journey over plateau
10000 feet above sea level. The factors
of speed, horsepower. rate of climb, the
many engineering problems and the
problems of aero-dynamics which enter
into such flight make it very COM
plicated.
Added to these. innumerable consider
atoms are matters of weather, the ques-
lions of route and bases, the possibilities
Of refueling If necessary at an inland
base at some stage of the journey, navi-