Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-07
Capital Sidelights

Congress has just had published book,
available to all the people of the coun-
try. On THE Byrd Antarctic Exposition
and First Flight to the South Pole"
ilich embassies the realization of
George Washington's prophecy that
aerial navigation would become useful
to mankind, and which carries a brief
history of the plan to conquer the Arc
tic and Antarctic by air.
The material for this book was fur
nished by Representative Clarence j.
Mcleod OF Michigan, who is distributing
the fist edition 1t contains a state
ment signed by Henry Woodhouse,
chairman and president of the Aerial
League of America: Mrs. josephine D,
Peary. wife of Admiral Peary, discov-
erer of the North Pole; Rear Admiral
C. M. Chester of the United States
Navy. retired, who was member of the
committee that passed on the records
Of Admiral Peary's discovery of the
North Pole. who was also a trustee of
the National Geographic Society and
chairman of the Antarctic Committee
of the Aerial League of America: Mrs.
Marie Ahnighito Peary Stafford, daugh-
ter of Admiral Peary and a director of
the Aerial League of America Alan r.
Hawley, member of the original Polar
Flights Planning Committee and hold
er since 1910 of the American long
distance balloon record: Capt Robert
A. Bartlett of the steamer Roosevelt of
the Peary North Pole Expedition, and
Frederick S. Dellenbaugh, vice presi-
dent of the Explorers Club
This statement emphasizes that the
achievements of the Byrd Antarctic Expe-
dition, like those of the Byrd Arctic Ex-
petition, the Amundsen- Ellsworth Mobile
Transpolar Expedition, and the wilkins
Expedition and the score of transat-
lantic flights that have been made since
the American Navy officers opened the
way with the Nc airplanes and the
British R-34 made the first transat-
lantic airship cruise in 1919, and the
world cruises of the Graf Zeppelin to-
gether with the thousands of airplanes
that have been flying daily carrying
mail, passengers and express, and rem
dering other useful services, represent
the realization of the prophecy of the
foresaw and wrote that aerial naviga-
ton would be useful to mankind and
that people would cross the Atlantic
by air.
The statement also points out that
another great American, Benjamin
Franklin, also was greatly interested in
aerial navigation, and when he was
asked what use there was to a balloon,
he answered. What is the use Of q
growing boy?'"
Summarizing the history Of the plan
to conquer the Arctic and Antarctic by
air, this historical record compiled by
Representative Mcleod Is as follows:
Admiral Robert e. Peary, the dis
coverer of the North Pole, and Caph
Roald Amundsen, discoverer of the
South Pole, were first to concede a plan
for the conquest of the Arctic and Ant
arctic by aircraft and radio"
Peary first, and then Amundserf,
foresaw as early as 19l1-12 that polar
exploration would be revolutionized by
employment of aircraft and both be-
came actively interested in aeronautics.
Peary became. in 1912, head of the first
committee to plan an aeronautic map
of the world and subsequently was head
of the National Aerial Coast Patrol
Commission, president Of the Aerial
the International Science Forum, which
of1ices he held until his death. Amund-
sen learned to pilot an airplane and
became q licensed pilot In 1914. being
the first explorer to qualify as airplane
pilot.
In 1915 there was formed the COM
mittee planning the exploration OF the
polar regions by aircraft, the members
Of which were Peary, Amundsen,
Shackleton, Robert A. Bartlett and
Henry Woodhouse, honorary secretary
and historian. The honorary advisers
of this committee included Admiral
Colby M. Chester, u. S. A., and John
Hays Hammond, jr, and number of
other noted scientists, authorities and
explorers. Plans were made for the
employment Of aircraft and radio.
The preliminary plans were an
nounced on December 81, 1916.
On December %. 1915, Admiral
Peary announced the plans through the
Associated Press, saying that he hoped
after Bartlett returned successful from
the expedition, conditions may be ia
vorable for sending out an American
command, to explore the American half
of the Antarctic region, and secure FOR
American scientists the valuable scien-
tific material existing there"
The new booklet pays tribute to the
"undaunted Floyd Bennett" who ac-
companied Comdr. Byrd on his first
fight to the North Pole; "and the
stupendous achievements Of Capt. Road
Amundsen, Lincoln Ellsworth, Gen.
Umberto Mobile and their gallant COM
panions, who made the first flight and
d4E CtOo1lAAS Va AACtAI GOAlt1AACAe GAA1
Polar sea, and the daring fight of Sir
Hubert wilkins and Carl Ben Eleison
from Point Barrow to Spitzbergen."
Y \
will there ever be rest for the per-
Aecuted and foot-weary Jew" said Rep
resentative Samuel Dickstein Of New
York in appealing to Congress to urge
the British government in Palestine to
rescind its decree limiting or curtailing
the free immigration Of Jews to Pales-
tine.
Representative Dickstein is q noted
economist and leader in many Jewish
welfare and religious organizations. He
explains that the problem of Palestine
Is not the problem of this country.
Here in the United States the powers
that be saw fit to embark on q policy
of restricted immigration because 1t was
the majority view that unless such re-
striction is resorted to we will be unable
to absorb into our national midst any
more immigrants from other countries.
But that cannot possibly be the Situa-
ton in Palestine" he emphasized.
an Palestine virgin soil awaits the
plow of the husbandman; mountain
thickets await the work of the surveyor;
there are new roads to be built, and
there is plenty of work for all produce
tive laborers in the world. Besides,
where can the Jewish immigrant go to.
now that we have seen At to exclude
him from this country, when his path
" barred everywhere and when long
inRly he casts his eyes at the ancient
home Of his fathers? We must keep
ED01netinA nnef1 for him