Evening star., 1935-11-30
The Next Great Thrill.

whence Will COme the great CL1FluS Oh
another generation? What will be the
phenomenal performances that will stir
millions in awe and admiration Of mans
achievements? Just now 1t would almost
seem that there are mo more worlds to
conquer" no more sensational adven-
lures to be undertaken. Yesterday the
China Clipper made goal in q postal
flight from San Francisco to Manila,
made it within four minutes of the
schedule that had been set for 1t, con-
siderably within q week of elapsed time
and in just q shade over sixty hours Of
flying time. 1t was q wonderful perform
ance, and yet there was but little stir in
the world in consequence. In this coun-
try some pride was felt and manifested,
but doubtless elsewhere the matter was
merely noted, If at all, Oh passingly in
teresting but not an especially remark
able achievement.
Not many days ago balloon ascended
to some seventy thousand feet above the
surface of the earth, carrying two men
who took notes and made records that
will, it is expected, bring valuable new
knowledge Of the conditions surrounding
this globule of the universe. The chief
reaction on the part Of most people was
that this ascension had been successful
whereas the two Immediately preceding
attempts had failed through mechanical
faults of the gas bag.
For some time an adventurous explorer
OF the sea has been diving" in his
"bathysphere" and finding out some
thing of the marine life in the upper
depths, few fathoms below the sur
face. He has found some highly inter-
esting forms of life and has seen some
remarkable phenomena, that give prom
ise Of more wonderful things in the
greater depths. Maybe he or some one
else will eventually be able to penetrate
into those greater depths, possibly four
or five times as far beneath the surface
as he has already gone. But there will
be little corresponding reaction on the
part Of the reading and listening world.
The novelty Of submarine observation
has given its thrill and the rest Is but
detail.
The recent performance of an English
motor driver In making q new world rec
ord for land travel over measured dis
tance in q Western desert tract caused
but brief and moderate sensation.
Again 1t was merely q matter OF degree.
Every one expects records to be broken.
That is why they are made, indeed-made
to be broken. The neetest ship has only
q short period Of supremacy. China Clip
per's performance In mail service across
the Pacific will doubtless soon be
bettered. Stratosphere ascensions will
reach to greater heights and there will
be applause and a quick turn to the next
novelty or accomplishment out OF the
ordinary.
The truth Is that modern man is be-
coming just bit bored with adventures
against the forces and the supposed lin
itations Of nature. 1t will indeed be DIM
cult 10 reproduce the thrill OF the Lind
bergh flight or the first polar attainment.
Men and women are still living who
experienced the throb Of emotion when
the human voice was first carried over q
wire. Now the telephone is. rs it has
been for many years, . commonplace.
There are more now living who recognized
the remarkable victory Of man over
nature in the device Of the radio. Now
it is n daily. nightly, hourly accomplish
ment of the routine of existence-to many
q veritable nuisance.
The field is wide open for speculation
as to the next great thrill, what it will
be, who will accomplish it and what it
will mean to humanity.