Evening star., 1949-11-20

rdlkIdIlU 4oldAOo SoNCi iAASAAe'
where there was a resident magis-
trate from 1912 to 1881. Since
1914 British survey parties have
been continuously engaged there
on long-term program OF re-
search and development.
Russia Claims Voice.
To confuse still more this tam
gled political situation. early this
year Russia, through the unofficial
medium of the All-Union Geo.
graphical Society of Leningrad,
demanded voice in all proposals
for the partition of Antarctica,
such as a recent United States
proposal for "internationalizing
the continent.
This was followed by a widely
publicized assertion that the U. s
S. r. had never renounced hel
Antarctic rights or agreed to the
disposal of the Antarctic lands
discovered by Russian navigators
The reference is to Bellinghau-
sens discoveries in 1819-1821.
! Apart from these and from the
whaling industry which Russia
entered for the first time in 1947
the Soviet government had shown
no interest in the Antarctic until
this rather surprising interven-
ton.
1t is difficult to reconcile the
vigor with which these claims are
pressed with the strategic and,
apart from whaling, the economic
Importance of the Antarctic, so
far as it can be estimated at pres
ent.
Worlds Coolest Continent.
1t is an inhospitable land, the
coldest continent in the world,
swept by frequent gales and sud-
den blizzards. The largest form
of indigenous land organism is a
small wingless fly, to be found
near the penguin rookeries, capa-
BILE, it is said. of living for long
periods. like some lesser organ
isms, in a frozen state.
| The economic minerals so far
discovered-low-grade coal, iso-
lated deposits of copper and other
metallic ores-are too few. too
poor and too inaccessible to be
worth exploitation. Even the i'm
portant whaling industry is
limited by the class between the
short-term need for oil and the
vital long term need to preserve
stocks.
Neither mineral oil nor radio
active minerals have yet been
found, although it would be rash
to say they do not exist in an area
of nearly 100000 square miles,
SO much Of which is unexplored.
Apart from this possibility and
perhaps the possession of meteor
olieical stations. and the Navy
use of Antarctic territory-by
German raiders, for instance. dur
ing the war. or by United States
Navy in a recent training and ex-
perimental exercise-the strategic
value of Antarctica does not, at
p! present seem important.
Prestige Behind Claims.
The truth is that national pres
tige more than strategic or eco
nomic gains is the main motive
behind these claims.
It is in the realm Of science
rather than of strategy or OF eco
Monies that the true value of the
Antarctic lies-most Immediately
perhaps in meteorology, which to
be fully effective must be done
on permanent and on an inter-
national basis.
| Norwegian initiative in organ
izing the Norwegian British
Sweden expedition, new inter-
national venture including in its
scientific program cooperation
with Australia, South Africa, and
French Antarctic organizations. is
a welcome development in this
much needed international CO.
operation.
In this survey of Antarctic ex-
lploration there is one aspect which
needs no emphasis. 1t is clearly
written in the lives of the Antarc-
tic explorers, whose quest for
knowledge has so often produced
feats of human endurance and
tgallantry Illuminating the peges
of history.