Evening star., 1936-03-08
By James Nevin Miller.

Va L ANN1 C,tuO 4CEG dDONC 4ohN
H Glacier in Alaska several
months ago, an airplane pilot
and his party of four explorers
had an unexpected thrill. Their plane
vas about half way across the enor-
nous ice cap which has circum-
ference of about 5000 miles, when all
at once an air pocket must have
caught the plane. Anyway, down it
went. entirely out Of control and with
bresthtaking speed.
Not until the ship had fallen 1000
feet did anything happen to remedy
the situation. Whereupon the pilot.
by near miracle, somehow managed
to right the plane and prevent it
from falling into tailspin. Within a
few minutes all the occupants were
breathing a trifle more freely, safe
landing was found, and all was well,
This thrilling adventure is only one
of many experienced by Rev. Father
Bernard r. Hubbard, S. j., during his
latest exploration trip into Alaska, his
ninth in an annual series. Using al
most every conceivable type of trans
portation-airplane steamboat. gaso-
line launch, dog team, and his own two
3eet-he climbed ice skyscrapers higher
than the Empire State Building;
visited the cradle" of icebergs; found
new corroboration of his theory that
most of Americas great storms orig
mate in the Aleutian Islands and the
Alaskan Peninsula. and developed a
revolutionary method of mountain
climbing.
Visual proof of his numerous eXcit-
ing experiences on snoW-clad glaciers.
in the craterS of extinct volcanoes
and amid the smother of wave-lashed
barren shores was given in thousands
of feet of motion picture film shown
In Washington the other day.
Father Hubbard usually is referred
to as the Glacier Priest" And rightly
so. For he is one of the worlds most
celebrated authorities on these ice
skyscrapers. In addition he is dis
tinguished geologist, teaching his IA
vorite subject at Santa Clara Univer-
sity. California. There are those who
believe he knows more about Alaska
than anybody in the United States.
His aim, during nine consecutive trips
to the North Countree" has always
been to make a thorough exploration
of the Alaskan Peninsula and the en-
tire chain Of the Aleutian Islands,
getting data not only in regard to
glacial activity, but also as to geology,
weather conditions, the activities of
early man in the region and natural
resources of tremendous practical
Importance.
ATELY Father Hubbard has been
specializing in the study of VOL
canoes, in addition to glaciers. Ger
tainly Alaska is an ideal place for
that. Few Americans realize that in
the huge arc Of volcanoes between
North Americas loftiest peak. Mt
Mckinley, out to Attu, farthest fling
of the Aleutians, lies the greatest VOL
canic chain. one of the most amazing
ecenic wonderlands, and the greatest
geological area of the kind in the
world.
There are at least as active VOL
canoes in the chain. Along 600 miles of
the Aleutian coastline there are some
$50 harbors, unmapped and uncharted
and therefore unvisited.
Father Hubbard himself believes
that his latest trip, was the most
important of all, for it unearthed new
and convincing evidence, he insists,
to support some of his favorite theories
concerning the origin of America S
weather conditions. AS the direct
result of his latest findings in Alaska,
he now predicts that the United
States need have no further fear of
drought for the next three years.
While it Is probably true, the
"Glacier Priest" says, that Egypt's
Joseph of biblical fame knew more
than we do today about rain and
drought cycles, it is nevertheless ap-
parent to the California geologist that
rain and drought in the United States
move in cycle approximating the
major astronomical cycle of 10 years
that Is, mean between IL and IS
years.
That period. he points out, is divided
between rainy season and a dry
one. and. the dry period ended last
year for the North American CONT
nent If this doesn't appeal to skep-
tical-minded folks, they should bear
in mind that Father Hubbard has
proved himself to be something of
q weather prophet. Lecturing in Wash
ington last March while the United
States Weather Bureau prophesied
that a duststorm would soon spread
from the prairie regions almost to
the Atlantic seaboard, he predicted
the end of the drought. Within three
weeks there was two-inch rainfall;
and last Summer, it will be recalled,
was an exceptionally wet season.
One Of the highest paid lecturers