Evening star., 1937-06-03
RY PROF, OTTO J. SCHMIDT.

BY PROF. OTTO J. SCHMIDT.
tcopyrsht. 1887, by the North American
Newspaper Alliance, Inc, and the New
York Times Coz
By Radio to Tnr Star.
NORTH POLE, June 3,-For many
centuries the North Pole has at
traeted and awed humanity. Daring
men who have sought to reach it
either perished or returned without
having attained it. Nevertheless,
they have, enriched humanity with
new knowledge.
The American, Admiral Peary, was
the first to reach the Pole. His glory
viii never fade.
But present times are different.
Science cannot be satisfied with rare
slances behind the curtain of mys-
terry. 1t demands continued, unceas-
Ing observations and the collection of
enormous factual material in order
to make sound conclusions and ap-
ply them in practice.
Soviet science, broadly supported
by its government and the enthusiasm
Of the whole country, has entered
upon that road of thorough study
conquest of the north. Numerous ex-
petitions on ice breakers in the estab
ilShment of the great northern sea
route and the creation of dozens of
polar stations prepared us for the
work at the Pole itself. We con-
f1rned Nansen's theory of drift across
the polar basin with our experience
Of permanent polar stations and with
modern technique in the form of
radio and airplanes. Due to generous
support from the Soviet government.
the. expedition has been carried out
on an unprecedented scale.
Planes Land on Ice.
-Four large airplanes flew over the
Pole and, only after passing it, hunted
for fairly fiat fields They landed on
them, and it is interesting from the
technical and sport side that large
tour-motored airplaneS, piloted by
experienced Arctic pilots, such as
Nodopyanov and Molokov, could land
or unprepared ice fields in the heart
Of the polar ocean.
From the scientific side. the most
Interesting observations have been
made. Meteorological data already are
helng sent four times daily to the
weather bureau at Moscow, from
Where 1t is being distributed over the
whole world, thus permitting more as
'sured forecasts of weather which, to a
considerable degree, is made in the
polar regions.
Drift Exceeds Expectations.
Observations of the drift are espe-
ciauy interesting. 1t is evident that it
Is physically impossible to stay long
time at the actual North Pole because
1t is in constant motion. And its speed
4-up to half mile hourly-exceeGs all
expectations. So far, the drift has been
coward Europe, but it is possible it will
turn toward America or possibly go
back from where it started
The answer to that question, in
which are concealed the laws Of the
movement OF ice and water in the Polar
Ocean, as we'll as many other scientific
questions, will be supplied by the work
pf the four men We will leave at the
eScellently equipped scientific station
on the ice foe-Papanin, Krenkel,
Ehirshoff and Feodorov. These brave
people will spent about year there.
Besides the scientific observation
Nhich they will make, their radio sta
ton will pace distant future fights
howard the Arctic, including perfectly
possible communication between the
&. S. S. R. and the United States across
the Polar Ocean.
We who came with the first plane
nave been living for more than a week
on an ice foe and have been drifting
aith 1t from the Pole proper. Thirty
five persons have arrived on the four
planes. The Arctic never saw so many
people.
T.. Life On Floe Comfortable.
Life on our ice foe is so we'll or
tanized and goes on under such COM
paratively comfortable conditions that
at is hard to believe that this is that
very Pole which has cost SO many
lives.
On the brilliantly white snow of our
Ace foe, which is surrounded by piles
nf broken ice, stand our beautiful
orange and red planes, our windmill,
radio antenna and a dozen tents.
People rush back and forth. busy with
their work, or just walk and enjoy the
shlmmerlng CT the ice under the rays
nj the sun. We have come to feel
that, after a struggle with nature,
Te will sign a firm and honorable
peace with her. However, it is still
long time until the expedition is
ended and We know not what diff
eulties we may yet have to face.