Evening star., 1934-07-09
Byrd May End Isolation Soon
As Party Plans to Join Him
Winter Trip to Aduance Post Consid-
cred by Scientist Who Would Re-
turn admiral to Main Base.

crevasses south of the 50-mile depot
must be skirted. On various occa-
sions last Fall the tractors nearly
came to grief in these parts, but the
crews soon became trail-wise. learned
to mark suspicious places and became
familiar with the route.
Insists on Safety.
Admiral Byrd has insisted that. be-
fore the journey is attempted. every
possible contingency be prepared for
and he has called for reports during
various radio schedules. DR.. Poulter
is now developing plan for the op-
Grafton. Harold I. June, chief avia-
ton pilot, who directed the success
ful tractor operations last Fall; Capt.
Alan Innes Taylor. in charge of sur
face transport, and E. J. Demas are
in charge of the tractors. A thousand
and one details must be examined
before the decision to make the Jour-
ney is reached. The matter of cold
weather clothing has drawn from Ad-
miral Byrd pointed suggestions and
he has recommended that the party
construct face masks to protect their
faces from cutting winds.
New superstructures similar to that
on tractor l are now being built for
the two other tractors. Whether one
or two tractors are to be taken on
the trip has not been decided, but, in
any event, all three will be in COM
mission and ready for the trail, so
that, should an emergency arise,
relief party will be standing by.
On the first Southern tractor op-
erations last Fall under June. the
homeward dash from the advance
base was made in 13 hours. The trac-
tor Travelled with only a little load.
but it also travelled in hours of dark
ness and twilight, and the high speed,
which set record for surface travel
In the Polar regions, is an indication
OF what the machines are able to do
Despite the strain of his isolation
the slow procession of the DAYS and
the need for unrelaxing vigilance,
Admiral Byrd continues surprisingly
cheerful. Your correspondent reports
to him with DR.. Poulter on camp af-
fairs and other matters. The radio
Sunday. although sometimes special
schedules are arranged. On the hour
set for contact John Dyer, chief COM
munications engineer here, speaking
into the microphone at the desk of
the operations room of the radio
shack, calls:
Hello, KFz calling KFY. Hello
KY"
Responds to Radio.
moment later the code response
Of Admiral Byrd at the advance base.
spelling hello" then good morn
ing" is heard in the loudspeaker.
Dyer reads the special daily weather
reports prepared by Haines and after
that expedition business is transacted
In his recent contacts Admiral Byrd
reported that he had overcome the
problems of his solitary existence. The
problem of ventilation in that tight
little shack, together with the asso-
clated problem of averting dangerous
fumes from his lamps and oil-burner
stove, has given him some concern,
and last Sunday he reported that,
rather than run any risk, he was using
a kerosene lantern as his only source
of light.
Il came out here with the notion
that only in absolute isolation could
a man achieve true tranquility" he
remarked, "and I'm getting enough TO
last me for the rest of my life Any
how, I doubt if I'll be tempted again
to take it in such a strenuous dose I"
Tranquility must have other illu-
sive qualities because Admiral Byrd
also remarked last Thursday that he
had put in his four months at the
advance base Iour correspondent
calculated he was only beginning the
fourth. and called Admiral Byrd's at
tention to the error
My error Admiral Byrd re-
sponded. An old Navy custom to
count as done the month you are IN" +"
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York Times CO..