Evening star., 1935-05-11
BYRD REPORTSU.S.
ANTARCTIC CLAIM
IS |ND|SPUTABLE
Explorer and Men Given
Brilliant Receptions on
Their Return.
ACHIEVEMENTS PRAISED
BY GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
President Welcomes Party-Bear
to Sail for Boston Tomorrow
After Stop at Quantico.
BY JOSEPH S. EDGERTON.

BY JOSEPH S. EDGERTON.
Happy in the completion of a no
table two-year voyage of exploration
to the Antarctic, results of which, they
have been assured, will be of great
value to science and to mankind, and
In a Washington reception yesterday
evening and last night on a scale ac-
corded few men, Rear Admiral Rich
ard E. Byrd and the men of his second
Antarctic expedition today were per-
pairing to close their records behind a
great task
Byrd and his men were given a
genuine American welcome home by
President Roosevelt and national dig
nitaries yesterday afternoon at the
Washington Navy Yard wharf-an
honor seldom accorded an American
citizen. A long day of tribute closed
with brilliant homecoming reception
by the National Geographic Society
last night at Constitution Hall.
Today there are no formal events
scheduled. The Bear of Oakland,
flagship of the expedition, which
brought Byrd and his men to Wash
ington yesterday afternoon, is ex-
pected to leave the Washington Navy
Yard at pm. for Quantico. where
1t will be opened to visitors until $50
tonight at the main Marine wharf.
The Bear will leave Quantico at day.
break tomorrow for Boston.
The Rupert is to remain at GUAM
tico until daybreak Monday and will
be open to visitors throughout today
and all Of tomorrow, it was announced
at expedition headquarters here.
To Visit in Virginia.
Admiral and Mrs. Byrd were ex-
pected to leave the White House to-
day with the explorers mother and
brothers, Senator Harry F. Byrd and
Thomas Byrd. to spend several days
together at Winchester, Va.
The admiral had little to say about
his immediate plans.
-.... u s'Wexld slk.e stostake q little vaca-
tion-Perhaps in the Maine woods,
where it will be COOL" he said with
smile.
He said there is nothing to be said
now about the possibility Of third ex-
pedition to Antarctica.
First" he explained, II must make
up the debts contracted by this one"
For the next year, Byrd said, he
probably will be busy writing a book
and delivering lectures, all OF which
have been contracted for.
Reports to Swanson.
Coming down to the Navy Depart
fnent In a White House automobile,
shortly before noon, Admiral Byrd
rendered a first-hand verbal report to
Secretary Swanson on his expedition.
The explorer was accompanied by his
wife.
When he was coming into the de-
partment Byrd met an old shipmate
in the person of Park Policeman
Samuel Millhouser, a former Marine.
The policeman explained that they
were both in the Naval Hospital here
together some years ago.
Today's visit was unattended by any
demonstration, only a few knowing OF
the admiral's presence. Among them
were Secretary Swanson's private sec
retary, Archibald Oden. Rear Ad-
rniral Claude C. Bloch, judge advo-
cate general of the Navy, also greeted
the explorer, as did Comdr. Jonas H.
Ingram of the Office of naval intelI-
gence.
Many Of the expeditions scientific
records were unloaded here last night
and this morning, notably vast
amount of meteorological data collected
by Byrd at his advanced base, where
he spent four and half months OF
lonely vigil, and by William c. Haines
and George Crimminger, United
States Weather Bureau experts, who
went from Washington to the Ant
arctic.
A long day, which began with the
departure of Byrd and his men from
Quantico aboard the Bear, closed late
last night with the Geographic So
ciety's reception, at which Byrd made
the first public accounting of his trip.
There can be no controversy as to
the 25O,0O0 square miles of territory
he claimed for the United States,
Byrd declared. This area, equal to
10 Of the original colonies in extent,
he said, ''is entirely beyond the areas
included in the British claims"
mo other than American eyes ever
have beheld this land" he said.
Byrd, addressing brilliant audi
ence, including many Cabinet officers,
members of the Senate and House,
Federal leaders and diplomatic rep
resentativeS, which jammed ConStitu-
ton Hall to capacity, spoke very brief
ly, promising more detailed reports to
the American public and members OF
the society in the near future.
He thanked officers of the society
for the aid given his expedition, and
paid high tribute to the men of the
expedition.
"They are all volunteers VINO have
done a wonderful job," he said. i
should not be singled out from among
them for tribute. We worked as a
team and the credit which goes to
one goes to ALL"
To Give Public Accounting.
The admiral said that he could not,
for lack of time, even attempt to de-
scribe the work of individual members,
but promised to give a public ac-
counting of their individual work
later.
He briefly sketched the various
branches of science which will benefit
from the data collected by the expe-
dition and which now is being dis
tributed for detailed study.
DR.. Gilbert Grosvenor. president OF
the society. in introducing Byrd paid
him high tribute as an explorer, de-
claring that "of all living explorers,
he who has seen most of his dreams
come true is Admiral Byrd" Byrd,
he said, proved the value Of airplanes
in Arctic exploration during the Mac
MILAN Polar Expedition. Byrd, he
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