Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-12-24

bundle up in heavy, cumbersome gar
ments when we were going skiing or
indulging in other cold weather activi-
ties. And we used up almost as much
strength supporting our clothes as in
the activities themselves. But antarc-
tic explorers, trying out various types
of garments and fabrics under the
most extreme conditions, found such
light materials as airplane cloth so
satisfactory that they have virtually
liberated us from our old-fashioned
horse blankets.
Admiral Byrd thinks that one of the
most significant discoveries so far
made in the antarctic, and one that
may have far-reaching practical appli-
cation, is that it seems impossible to
catch a cold down there. Obviously,
we can't all move down there to avoid
catching a cold, nor bring antarctic
conditions up here. Yet. Byrd points
out. here may be the clue which will
finally enable medical scientists to
solve the mystery Of colds.
Proceeding from there. the current
expedition will go still deeper into the
relationship of geography to the hu-
man body. DR.. Paul A. Siple. veteran
of two Byrd expeditions, will conduct
extensive tests and experiments, keep
ing records of blood pressure, meta
bolism, strength and other bodily fac
tors under all the varying conditions
of temperature, wind velocity and
other weather vagaries. Just what this
will prove about our bodies, just how
it may be useful in helping rs to better
our health in our own comparatively
tepid climate, remains to be seen.
But whatever this study discloses
about the human body generally, it is
bound to provide much specific in
formation about how the human body
reacts to antarctic conditions. And
that brings us to possibility about
which Byrd and his men say very lit
tie, but which is always in their minds:
that the time may come - probably
wiH come when people Hbe hiring in
permanent settlements tn the antarctic.
Why? What would make anybody
want to live there?
Minerals, perhaps, answers Admiral
Byrd. No man knows what wealth
may be buried beneath that vast field
of ice 1t may be the last untapped
source of valuable mineral resources
in the world Coal isn't the only thing
that has already been discovered.
Titanium, iron, copper. beryl, tour
maine. garnet, mica, molybdenum -
all these have been found, though not
in quantities or locations that made
mining feasible, But suppose this pres
ent expedition, or some future one,
discovered vanadium, iridium, radium,
or some other valuable mineral, in
workable deposit? All the terrors of the
antarctic wouldn't keep men out.
Our government is undoubtedly TAX
ing into account the. possibility OF
future development in sending out this
expedition, with orders to chart thou
sands of miles Of unknown coast line
- the biggest geographical question
mark in the world today - and to con-
solidate the work of previous American
explorers who have claimed various
antarctic regions for the United States
Other countries have made official
claims to the parts explored by their
nationals, but the United States has
not yet taken that step. 1t is assumed
that the State Department, on the
basis of the work of this expedition.
will stake a claim to about one-fifth of
Antarctica as American territory.
Byrd and his men are firmly con-
WINGED that the time will come - per-
haps next year, perhaps a hundred
years from now - when Antarctica