Evening Star Newspaper, June 8, 1930, Page 30

TWO POLES COMPARED BY ADMIRAL BYRD Conditions in Arctic and Antarctic Vary, According to Observations of the - Great Explorer. (Continued Prom First Ps his t; of plane and equipment. The altitude at which one must fly in the Antarctic also complicates matters ex- ceedingly, and the uncertain weather adds to the manifold difficulties for any one who wishes to so conduct his flight that it shall have the maximum oppor- tunity of success. I have now had three experiences of flying in the polar regions, and each of them has been very different. The first was probably the most difficult of them A%, eithough less is known about that expedition than the two more spectacu- 1ar polar expeditions. Flying Conditions Bad. T am referring to the McMillan expe- dition to Greenland, on which Floyd Bennett and I flew from the northern- most. Eskimo village over the fjords and ice-capped highlands of Greenland and Ellsmere Land. We had single-motored amphibian planes and flew over dis- tricts where landing was impossible. We had never seen worse flying condi- tions. The failure of the motor would have meant disaster during most of our flights, and I think it was then we be- gan to appreciate to the full the advantages of the multi-motored plane for flying over difficult terri- tory. We have used such a plane ever since. At times we were buffeted by winds that tossed the plane like a leat, and to keep control was a never- ending struggle. Below were ice-filled fjords, a sea filled with ice or the for- bidding ice-capped land. It was a supreme test of the use of a plane in the polar regions and convinced me that polar exploration by air was only possible but practicable, quick geographical exploration the best means of transportation. But on all these flights we were in fouch with a land where there were living people and plentiful animal life, Our greatest danger was from a crash, for once safely down it would not have been impossible to have made one's way to safety, living off the land, and ‘we could possibly have reached the Es- 0s. Even if we had traveled, hun- dreds of miles, we would have had a chance to find enough to eat. How different from the Antarctic, where one must take inland everything necessary to sustain life. The North Pole Flighs. ‘The next flight Bennett I made was to the North Pole. at, again, was a different problem. Taking off from the water was the only possible way to get into the air on the Green- land flights, but on the North Pole flights we were able, by fiying early, when it was cold enough, to use snow- covered land. That made possible the use of a different type of plane, a large three-motored plane on skis. ‘The flight was to be made over the ice-covered water of the polar basin from Spitzbergen to the Pole and back again. We were not troubled with ob- stacles such as mountains or swirling winds; it was only necessary to get the plane off with sufficient fuel to take us to the Pole and back. That seemed fairly easy, but we did not know as much about skis then as we do now, and ours bent like barrel staves. The result was that we had difficuity in get- ting off with sufficient fuel, oil and emergency supplies. Once in the air. conditions were ideal, thanks to Wil- liam Haines, our meteorologist. We ‘were fortunate in our weather and had the sun all the way and could choose an altitude near sea level where the efficiency of the plane was greatest. Hazards of Flight. ‘The hazard of this flight lay, of ‘eourse, in being forced down on the ice. If that had happened, I do not think we could have got into the air, and with only a rubber boat our chances of get- ting back would have been slim. Amundsen and Ellsworth were forced down near the Pole and got back, but it was only after three weeks of super- human exertion by six men that they got one of their planes into the air again. Amundsen himself told me that there would have been no chance of walking back. Nansen, with one com- n, lived on the ice of the Polar for months, finally reaching Franz Josef Land, but succeeded only because of his astounding courage and physical strength and expert knowledge of the| Polar Sea. But, of course, he had far more food and equipment than Amund- sen and Ellsworth were able to carry in their planes. Both of these groups of | men were fortunate. For us the hazard of landing a plane on the broken ice of the Arctic Sea would have been great.' ‘But aside from this contingency, which | at one time, owing to an oil leak,| seemed only too near, the fight was| merely a matter of proper prepara- | tion, reliable engines and navigation. | ‘The weather was, of course, an impor- tant factor, and I will speak of that Antarctic Realization. ‘When we prepared for the South Pole flight, however, we realized—only part-| 1y, however—that we were up against a| very different sort of problem than we had faced before. Instead of flying over dangerous _territory somewhere -~ near | thought to polar flying and exercising {10 be bad. But carelessness or slip- combating ice floes and the beauties of the Northern skies, but nothing in the Arctic can compare, I am sure, with the feeling of awe with which one first looks upon the mountains of Antarctica. Rising as they do from the sea on the flat plain of the Barrier only a few feet above sea level, they leap into the air 10,000 to @5,000 feet. Most mountains are approached by foothilla: not so many of these great peaks. ‘They spring abruptly out of the plain, and 150 miles away one can see them glistening in their jeweled splendor. It was over these mountains that we had to fly. While we puzzled over fig- ures, estimating load and plane per- formance, juggling the whole complex problem of how to make a plane do what it could not do, a sea-level flight would have been easy. And yet I think every one of us rather looked forward to that struggle up the mountains and wondered what it would bring forth. Gets Pictorial Record. We were not willing to leave Capt. McKinley behind. With his great aerial camera, films, food and trail equipments, there was just enough extra weight to make the loading problem. But I would not be able to look my scientific friends in the face had we not brought back a pictorial record of every mile of that flight. With, al’ our calculations our passage over ‘he mountains proved a tight squesd and I can still feel the plane slipp'hg at the top of its climb and feel it ride 8s food was thrown over and the plane just topped the divide and straightened out toward the Pole. Polar Weather. Aside from these physical differences between the Arctic and Antarctic, which had so much to do with our flying in both regions, the other most important governing factor was the weather. We found that in both places the weather is clearer and flying more possible in the Spring, before the warm winds of Summer churn up the air and form fog and low clouds. When we went north on our second trip—the North Pole venture—we arrived there early in the Spring, for the Gulf Stream opens up an avenue of approach to the Arctic Ocean such as does not exist in the South. In the latter part of April we were able to reach Spitzbergen, which corresponds roughly with the latitude of Little America in the south, without meeting any ice worthy of being called a pack. The weather was ideal, calm and clear. There, as in the South, we found that an upper-air drift from the Arctic Ocean cleared the air. But as soon as the warmer weather arrived fog covered the sea. A few days after our North Pole flight was made atmospheric conditions would have blocked our attempt. ‘This condition of fog and low clouds also occurred in the South whenever there was & wind from the north off the sea, even though it might be high up. We went down there with the idea that the air flowed in toward the Pole several miles above the earth and then flowed out again, but the meteorolo- gists soon found that this was not nec. essarily the case. Sometimes such con. ditions existed, but they generally were accompanied by clouds which obscured the horizon and kept the planes ground- ed. In the early Spring, while it was still too cold to fly, the drift was al most steadily from the South and the air was clear. As the season Fl’wd it was learned that flying could be done only when there was a drift from the southward several miles high, and as soon as it was checked, or the upper air was reversed, clouds again formed. So all flights were made early in the season and only when balloon sound- ings showed a high southerly drift. Sky Was Obscured. On several occasions, both after the polar flight and the flight to the north- east, the sky was obscured by a shift of wind within a short time after the plane landed. To those who are used to flying over the dark surface of fields or woods, this obstacle of clouds may seem somewhat overrated, but in the polar regions, particularly in the Ant- arctic, where the surface below is white, clouds cause so much diffusion of light that the surface cannot be seen, the Lorizon is invisible, and one never knows except by the unreliable alti- meter, which is subject to barometric change, just how far the plane is above the ground. So it can be seen that clear weather is of paramount impor- tance in both polar regions when flying is being done, and in both places the ciearest weather is early in the year. ‘This is the reason that it is necessary to stay in the Antarctic over the Win- ter in order to do any extended geo- graphical work by airplane, for in the early Spring the land is inaccessible be- cause of its rim of pack ice. By giving patience, flights can be made with a reasonable chance of success. Of course, an engine faflure would 9 times out of shod methods in the south polar Te- glon are almost certain to end disas- trously. The flying seems easy, but a lot of thought must go into each flight. Haines’ Great Part. tribes of natives, with plentiful food supplies, or flying at a low efficient alti- | tude over the sea, we must this time| do our fiying at a very high elevation and over & country in which nothing lived. If we came down, we would in- deed be on land instead of drifting ice | floes, but we would have to walk home | hundreds of miles and pull our food | after us over some of the most difficult | trails in the world. ‘When we discovered & new mountain range to the eastward we flew over| pressure and crevassed areas that it would have been impossible to walk over. We would have had to walk around to the southward. This would have made the distance so far that we could not have carried enough food to get back to Little America. - We would be limited in what we carried on the ghne for the South Pole flight by the eight to which we must fly. In other words, our take-off load would be less than the capacity of the plane. It could not get off with more than it could take over the mountains. That was a new problem in long-distance fly- ing, and what with the necessity of carrying much emergency equipment in| case of a forced landing, we had to think a long time before deciding what was best to do. There were various| alternatives, based originally on the use of two planes, but after the loss of | one plane the first season we were lim- fted to two or three plans. The difference between these vari- ous flights came often to our minds during the weeks of preparation, and nothing did more to emphasize the con- trast between the two polar regions. In one the shifting, grinding ice sheets over the sea, in the other a vast irreg lar continent, surrounded by a p tive belt of ice which has so long de- ! fled attack in many places, & continent penetrated by vast shelves of ice over arms of the sea and nmmed with some of the most magnificent mountains in the world. The Arctic Ocean, monoto- nously flat, treacherous in its power and ting surface, the Antarctic, immo- 3 ‘ppllllnf in its grandeur and si- Ce, & mighty mausoleum for the dead ind hidden beneath the snow, The Antarctic Rampart. I doubt if there is any mountain scen- ery in the world more splendid than that of the Antarctic. We had read of those mountains, we had talked of them and knew that they must be some of the finest ranges in the world, but all sur paltry imagination, all the words of those who had described them, failed to us the real majesty of &E rampast which guards the Platesu. To one who penetrates Arctis besin thers i the il of ‘This calls to my mind the very great contribution William Haines made to four of our flights—the North and South Pole and the base laying. and eastern flight of exploration in Ant- arctica. Polar weather conditions are tricky, and Haines had no scattered weather stations to give him reports. Yet on all four of these flights we had sunshine all the way. Had Haines hesi- tated in making his decision, those flights would have been failures and possible tragedies, for he selected the only periods where the weather was| possible. So it will be seen that things| were not so simple and certain as they | seemed. All honor to Willlam Haines. He had great responsibility. For e | ample, should we 'arrive at Little Amer- | ica with that bowl of milk visibility that | we so often got. we could not have landed without cracking up. With the same conditions at the mountains we could not have put down our base. One can exist either in the Arctic or the Anatractic without much difficulty if sufficient preparation has been made. There is more fresh food in the Arctic; at least animal life exists there on the shores of the Polar Sea during the en- tire year, whereas in the Antarctic there is never any life that sojourns there during the Winter months. But one can live in the Anterctic with se- curity and healih, in which respect it | differs from the jungle; but it is not a place where one can tread without | wariness and without adequate prepa- ration. Like aviation, one small error may bring tragedy. Here, again, if im- | properly prepared, death may be the penalty, Little America Comforts. We were less uncomfortable in the Antarctic than most persons seem to think. I have been constantly asked if we did not have trouble during the long night, whether some men did not break down under the strain, whether we had enough to_eat, and how we stood the cold. It 15 im possible to answer such questions as those who ask them seem to desire. We had no trouble, we enjoyed the Winter night as we had plenty of work to do, most of the men gained weight, and we seldom suffered from the cold when properly dressed, ex- | cept at times when doing outside work | and when on the trail in the early| Spring or late Fall. Of course, it is| easy tc freeze when on the trail if one is mot properly equipped or if THE HREE interesting and very different experiences oc- cured one Sunday last Fall. In the morning we sat in the chapel of an historic academy in New England, and while the preacher prayed we peeked a little. Our eyes wandered over the bowed heads of the boys; our imaginations were busy with thoughts of what might be in store for them. Riding back to New York on the train we read an impressive speech by the President of the Uited States. ; When the train stopped ‘at Hartford we looked out of the window to see a crowd filling the air with rice and confetti, and presently an embarrassed SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, but happy young couple hur- ried through the car and into & drawing foom. Of t@ese three events—the prayer fn the academy chapel, the speech of Mr. Hoover, the marriage of an unknown and apparently commonplace young couple—which was the most important? Which will leave the most lasting impression on history? Np one can possibly tell. If every child and every happening were labeled “This is important” or “This is un- important” the business of liv- ing would soon lose its zest. The eternal uncertainty of it keeps it exciting. JUNE 8 _By For example, a King of Eng- land, coming down from Scot- larfd, stopped for refreshment at a little town called Scrooby. The young man who waited on the table was so obscure that the King probably never no- ticed him. But who is more important in the light of his- tory, the weak King James I of England or the strong young man William Brewster, who sailed on the Mayflower and became the first Governor of Massachusetts? In 1704 occurred the battle of Blenheim. Most of us remem- ber nothing about it except the last lines of Robert Southey’s "And.whnt was the use of it {Copyrisht, 1930.) Studying Stellar Bodies (Continued From Third Page.) of variable star observation. Tt is only within the last 40 years that astrono- mers have attached any great signifi- cance. to the strange propensity of cer- tain stars to dim and brighten alter- nately, but the fact of stellar variabil- ity has been known for more than 300 years. Amateur Found Star Missing. In October, 1596, an amateur in East Friesland, David Fabricius, noticed that a star which he had previously observed had apparently disappeared. He had seen it on August 13 in the constella- tion Cetus the Whale, a star .of the third magnitude—and now, two and a half months later, its place was a blank in the heavens. Had the star burned up, or dropped into the abyss? Fabricius did not attempt to answer these questions—he was a modest ama- teur—but his keen naked-eye observa- tions those nights in 1596 have written his name indelibly into the history of astronomical discovery. For the star which he saw and then lost, and which he was careful to record so accurately, was seen again a few years later by a professional astronomer. Others fol- lowed it through its phases of disap- pearance and reappearance, and finally science recognized that here was a new kind of star. It was given the name Mira the Wonderful. ‘This first known variable when at its brightest is nearly as brilliant as the North Star. It fades in about nine months to the ninth magnitude—invis- ible except through a telescope. From this Jowest value it rises more rapidly to maximum again, taking about 11 months for its complete cycle of change. Mira is now on the upgrade and due to reach top brilliancy about June 16. If any reader wishes to see Mira the Wonderful at its present maximum, he will find the constellation Cetus rising next week at about 3 am. It can be discerned in the eastern sky south of the ruddy planet Mars and the Great Square of Pegasus. Mira is a red giant. Recent measure- ments at Mount Wilson Observatory show that its diameter is 260,000,000 miles. This is so great that if Mira could be brought into our solar system and its center placed at the center of our sun, Mira would reach out into space nearly to the orbit of Mars, thus inclosing within its circumference the sun, Mercury, Venus, the earth and the moon. Gfantism seems_ to g0 _nat- Winters in polar regions, four with Amundsen and one with ‘us, the last when he was 68 years old, summed it lllldup one day last Winter when he said: “When I am home and read about the Antarctic, it seems very cold, but wthfll‘l I am here it doesn't seem’ cold at all” Of course, Ronne did not have any outside work. And on another occa- sion Martin uttered the wise stal ment: “Work all the time. Evi thing all right.” That is the way to overcomie the monotony of the {onx Winter night. Ross Ice Barrier. I would be remiss not to mention the great Ross Ice Barrier that is pe- culiar to Antarctica, I know of no more interesting natural phenomenon than this great sheet of ice and snow. After living a year on it we find our- selves still puzzled by it. For hundreds of feet we tunneled the Barrier in all directions; we built snow rooms down beneath its surface: we traveled by dog teams for over 1,000 miles over it and photographed 80,000 square miles of it from the air. And yet it still has for us that fascination that the unknown inspires. It is 400 miles wide north and south and was formerly supposed to be about 400 miles long in an east and west direction, but from our airplane we saw that it extends on indefinitely to the eastward. Where does it go and what mystery lies at its end? This great sheet of snow is largely water-borne. It is from a few feet to 200 feet high above the water, and in places must go at least 500 feet be- neath the water. It is hard-packed snow down as far as the water, and from there on becomes ice. How Was this great sheet of snow and ice formed? We think perhaps we can answer that. But why does it not break off in pieces from the attacks of the sea, and float off in the form of icebergs? It does break off somewhat, of course, but apparently is not reced- ing. We know that in one place it rests on the bottom of the sea. How- ever, our camp at Little America was over 1,500 feet of water. There are a few things we can add to the knowledge our predecessors have gained about the Barrier, but then there are a great many things that we cannot tell the scientists. But 10 years from now we believe that our surveys and photographs will tell an interesting story. Widely as the Arctic and Antarctic differ in their geographical character- istics, they are one in their fascination and beauty. To have seen them both is a rare privilege, and the call to revisit them is almost irresistible. Tcebound | ag urally with variability, for most of the blinking stars are of enormous size. . Gradually, after Mira, other variables were discovered. But by 1844 only 18 were known, and in all the world there were only five astronomers sufficiently interested to watch them. Today some 7,000 variable stars are catalogued and there are more than 500 observers whose reports total more than 60,000 observa- tions annually. Much credit for this modern recogni- tion of variables must go to Prof. Ed- ward C. Pickering, who early in his astronomical career gave attention to these mysterious changelings. As a re- sult of his interest, which was made especially effective through & photo- graphic patrol of the skies, more than 5,000 of the 7,000 known variable stars were discovered at Harvard. And they have been most assiduously studied there and followed through their fluc- tuations year after year. Thus in 1911 Prof Pickering reported: “During the years 1906 to 1910 about 17,000 observa- tions have been made by astronomers connected with this observatory, of which 12,000 have been made by Mr. Leon Campbell.” Campbell Now Recording Officer. It is interesting that this same Mr. Campbell, whose prolific industry as an observer came In for special mention then, today is the recording officer of the Variable Star Observers. - He is the professional astionomer at Harvard to whom the reports pour in from all over the world. It is his job to supply ob- servers with celestial photographs and the other data required for drawing their star charts, to tabulate their re- ports for publication, keep books on the strange stellar mutations and supply re- search astronomers throughout the world with the annual harvest of ama- teur observations. And why are the, researchers inter- ested? Because variable stars more and more are proving themselves to be astronomical weathercocks to point which way the cosmic winds are blow- ing. It was changes in Algel that aid- ed in the first measurement of the di- ameter of a star. It was the study of a group of variables in the small Mag- ellanic cloud that revealed the utility of Cepheid stars as indicators of dis- tance, and thus provided a new yard- stick for plumbing the depths of the universe. ‘There are variables and variables— short perlod, long period, or irregular. ‘Those of short period, of which the Cepheids constitute a select group, are being studied intensively at large ob- servatories where there are powerful telescopes and other instruments capa- ble of detecting “and measuring their rapid and slight changes. The long-period stars—and the ir- regular ones, which are long-period, too—are ideally adapted for amateur study because of their more extended time of variation. Some require two years to pass the cycle from brightness to dimness and back again, though for most of them the period is less than a year, There are 350 of these long- period and irregular luminaries which the American Association of Variable Star Observers has accepted as its spe- cial wards to keep night watch on. The astronomical fellowship is & scat- tered one. And it is to bring them to- gether that these semi-annual meetings are held. For while there will be for- idable astronomical reports and com- Erlllnee assignments and much high dis- cussion in Maria Mitchell’s old home- stead next Saturday, the biggest reason for getting together is “just for the fun of it.” 1930—PART TWO. Bruce» Barton all?” asked little Tweedledee. “I don’t know,” the old man said, “but 'twas a famous victory.” Just one year before, not far from the battlefield, was born a red-faced baby. His name was John Wesley. Battles, kingdoms, fortunes— they are all part of the great humap drama. But the thrill lies in the fact that a word dropped into the fertile mind of a boy, or a young couple starting & new home, or a helpless infant uttering fits first cry—these also may have undying significance. And any one of us, quite un- wittingly, may be a part of & famous victory. Our Youngest Justice (Continued From First Page.) jon and their relation was not marred by petty jealousy or by misunderstands ing. The actual proceedings in the oil cases have been often recorded and the public is familiar with them. Suffice it to say that no competent and informed observer has fail to commend the work of counsel in the cases which the United States won or has criticized ad- versely the handling of those decided against the Government. It is generally conceded that nobody could have made more out of the material at the Gov- ernment’s disposal or presented more ef'ectively the propositions on which the Government relled. While all the work done was of & high order, perhaps the most brilliant plece of advocacy was Roberts’ summing up to the jury in the Fall case. There are those who heard this argument who regard it as the equal of any forensic achievement of our day. While these forensic battles were raging President Coolidge gave place to President Hoover, and the new Presi- dent was in turn called upon to solve other difficult problems of selection. When Chief Justice Taft died the President’s prompt appointment of Charles Evans Hughes caused wide- spread satisfaction. The opposition to this nomination which developed in the Senate delayed but did not defeat con- firmation. ‘The appointment of & successor to Mr. Justice Sanford, however, gave rise to greater difficulty. Judge Parker of North Carolina was named by the President, but was rejected by the Sen- ate. As the struggle over the tariff bill was continuing and as opposition to the naval treaty was developing, it became most important for the administration to name a man against whose con= flr&:llon no effective protest could be m: Man of Hour Again. Again Roberts proved to be the man of the hour. There was a spontaneous demand for his appointment from all parts of the country. It is said that there was a strong sentiment in his fa- vor among the justices themselves. The President sent his name to the Senate, and in routine fashion it was referred to the gl’DD!! committee. The commit- tee had no occasion to hold hearings, because by this time everybody ki Roberts and nobody protested against the appointment. had become the recognized leader of the Philadelphia bar and his reputation was Nation- wide. A unanimous report in favor of confirmation was made, and confirma- tion by the Senate promptly followed. It is significant that this action was taken with unanimity. None of the eight who voted against his confirma- tion as_special counsel cast a vote against him as justice of the Supreme Court. Six of those eight are still in the Senate, so that it is fair to infer that Roberts has gained the unlimited confidence of those who six years ago were skeptical. When the new justice takes his seat he will be the youngest judge on the court and the oniy repre- sentative of Pennsylvania who has sat on the Supreme bench in nearly 30 years. ‘With Roberts on the bench the great Commonwealth will have occasion for pride. Counsel appearing before him will find him alert and attentive and uick to identify the crucial question in the case. When he interrupts with a question, it will be one that is concise, searching and to the point. The other Justices will soon learn that their new colleague has tireless energy and an enormous capacity for work. They will find, too, that while he has “an agree- ing mind,” he is a man of strong con- Is First to Carry on (Continued From First Page.) developing natural resources, with profit both to the state and to the organiza- tions who devote to it their labor and their capital.” When asked to express himself on the economic relations between Colombia and the United States, Senor Olaya mentioned the great value of many tropical products to the industries of the United States, which, in his opin- fon, are not in competition with those of this country, but complementary to them. Citing the abundance of Colom- bia’s ofl fields, he stated that “its ex- ploitation had given rise to some juridi- cal discussions which have made slower than it should have been the de- velopment of this mineral wealth.” He added: “Whatever difficulties may have come up in this matter, it is my firm opinion that they will all be solved sat- isfactorily and promptly if we adopt and follow as a general principle the atti- tude that legislation on this matter in safeguarding the legitimate interests of the state should provide for an equita- ble amount of income to the state and juate remuneration for the capital sea or snowy mountain-rimmed plateau, one does not know how to use one's clothes. I believe that by thought and care man can exist and travel any- where on the face of the earth without too much hardship. Martin Ronne, who had spent fve the polar regions are one in their ap- peal to all t is most adventurous in 3 . 1930, York T (ooggrns, o b ke Jow ik o SRR R of the companies interested in making use of this fuel, so valuable for modern industrial life.” In & few words Senor Olaya described the Pan-American movement: “Since the United States became the great o this hemispherer ths| havs the right to sule, President Olaya Herrera of Colombia Work in Washington leaders of its Government have regarded the peoples of Latin America as groups of friends and brothers with whom they have many ideals and interests in com- mon. This conviction led the founders of the great American Republic to speak words of generous solidarity to the newer nations which were struggling to attain thelr independence at the begin- |ning of the nineteenth century. The same thought has served to guide many leaders in the United States, and it has been taken up with clear understanding by many of the most able men of Latin America. In this work of continental civilization and understanding between the natlons of the Western hemisphere the present generation has a great task to perform. We must CArry on success- fully on the basis of sincere confidence and with definite intent to bind closer that friendship founded on sincerity. In this task the is a deciding fac- tor. With its aid the United States and the republics of Latin America will be able to crown with success that great work for co-operation worthy of the high ideals of modern civilization.” ‘Thus spoke Don Enrique Olaya Her- rera, President-elect of Colombia, sit- ting at his desk as Colombian Minister in Washington. And it is only thus, looking straight ahead, with vision fixed clearly on to- morrow's generation, that the ideal of true lnmml;lgoun be attained. For. only those bulld for the future -~ victions and of independent judgment. He will never dissent for the pleasure of dissenting, but he will never coneur merely from good nature. ‘Will Be Socially Popular. Just as he will be well liked by all who come into official contact with him, so socially he will be popular in ‘Washington. Wholesome, fine looking and with manly charm, there is that about him which inspires confidence and invites friendship. His tastes are extremely simple. Much of his happy domestjc life is spent on his farm in the Schuylkill Valley. Separation from this, I dare say, will prove only less of a wrench than separation from his partners. He is an intensely human being, & lover of his kind and full of the joy of living. His has been a singularly happy home. Mrs. Roberts is equally able to take her place in the social world and to find. satisfaction in such seclusion as is sometimes necessary to reserve the health of a hard-worked Eusblnd. Their only child, a daughter, is a splendid specimen of young wom- anhood, handsome, intelligent, charm- ing. Both she and her mother a keen interest in all Roberts’ work, and each vies with him in love of the out- doors. Roberts ought not to be classified as & liberal or as a conservative. By this I mean that, while all groups in the country will find him friendly, none will ever be able to claim him as an ally. He will be detached in his con- sideration of cases, and it will soon be recognized that his distinguishing char- acteristic is a determination to act on principle. Today may find him pleas- ing one set of extremists by his attitude upon some pending question, while to- morrow he may give them the disap- pointment of their lives. Gradually it will dawn upon them that his aim is not to gratify groups, but rather to think impersonally and to decide im- partially. As he has been a fearless advocate, so he will prove to be a Just judge. Owen Roberts is the type of Ameri- can in whom you will find the secret of our national strength. With such public servants the future of the Re- public is as secure as her past. PUBLIC LIBRARY Recent accessions to the Public Li- brary and lists of recommended ret g :.ill appear in this column every Sun- Y. Summer Sports, Bell, H. G. Winning the King's Cup. VGY-BAL. Collins, A. F. Boys and Girls’ Book of ‘Outdoor Games. VDA-C69. Cureton, T. K., jr. A Water Program for Camps. ~ VG-C92. Hunt, L L. 35 Kites That Fly. VHY- H! Palmer, G. E. Base Ball for Girls and Women. VKB-P 183. ‘Welssmuller, John, Swimming the American Crawl. VGA-W43. The Family. Boorman, W. R._Developing Personal- ity in Boys. BP-B646d. The Modern Family. and Others. The Edu- le Modern Boy. 1925. -St32. ‘Thomas, W. I. and D. 8. The Child in America, BP-T362. Biography. John. Coleridge. E- C67ch.E. Corbin, John. The Unknown Wash- ington. E-W27cor. cln'vea_lgi:ben. Good-by to All That. Maynard, Theodore. De Soto and the Conquistadores. E-S077m. Pound, Arthur, and Day, R. E. Johnson of the Mohawks. E-J637p. Du di. Sermoneta, V. C. C. ‘Things Past. E-Se63. Sitwell, Edith, Alexander Pope. E- P817si. Sparkes, Boyden, and Moore, 8. T. Hetty Green. E-G8226s. Trotsky, Leon, pseud. My Life. E-T757. Wll‘e’g,ul;l. W. An Autobiography. E- Charpentier, Buccess. Babson, R, W. Storing Up Triple Re- serves. HKE-B 113s. Ha\gh. C. i\ Are You Cashing In? ‘The Power That Wins. Trine, R. W. BQS-T736p. Miscellaneous. Brand, Violet. Practical Flower Mak- el e s bast Beverages ineator Home ute. Parties. Cosmetics and RZM-M37. Your Skin. QX-G62. ird, D. A, and Muller, C. G. Sleep. QH-L 14s. Le Clair, Mme. F. A. On Beauty Cul- ture. QH-L498. Rosewater, Victor. History of Co-oper- ative News-Gathering in the United States. ZCJ-R72. Schnackel, H. G., and Sprecker, A. L. The Art of Business Think! Herman. BII-8ch56. VYON HINDENBURG DROPS | MONARCHICAL IDEALS ‘President of Germany Has Becomé a Legend in Germany—Example of New to use the President'’s name as one of | D. their close conferedates and to use his picture in & fiim which they to show for propagands through the reich, Hindenburg had to come out publicly with a statement of disavowal. It was they who had forced the issue. He could not but reply that he would not permit any single group or party within the nation to use his name. He pointed out that he could make public his attitude toward the reparations issue only when the Young lan, passed by the ichstag, was laid fore him for his signature or veto, Rebuke Crushed Assoclates. Mild though this rebuke seeraed, it was sufficient to crush the hopes of all his earlier associates. Ludendorfl responded brutally in a letter of re- crimination. Certain reactionary jour- nals printed the portrait of President von Hindenburg bordered in black and announced that the former general was dead. In a sense they were right. Paul von Hindenburg had definitely shown Spirit of Patriotism. the peace relief rather than in the war offensive. Yet mhnu Hindenburg 3 which no other ug- mgi.er :Z":r'i"-u obtained. In Clemenceau. But Hindenburg goes se- He has not once been ac- inefficiency, inaccuracy or in- sincereity. He has the voice of all save those who, libeling him from extreme monarchist circles, make him stronger with the people. Forbid Reproaches of Kaiser. “It is easy to kick a dead lion," says Hindenburg, and consequently he will neither utter nor hear a word of re- proach spoken of the Kaiser. He him- self has published an open letter to de- fend the All Highest from the charge of having injously defeated his cause in 1918. Hindenburg is a loyal man. He is even Joyal to the oath which, he took to the deposed Wilhelm II, for . he would not have office in t| himself to be a civil President and no | he longer generalfeldmarschall. He re- signed from the leadership of the old military and Nationalist organization, the Stahlhelm. He pronounced a policy of agrarian reform. He threatened his old reactionary comrades in the Reichs- tag with the dissolution of that body and the calling of an inopportune gen- eral election if they did not support his new Bruning cabinet and the policies of Stresemann’s successor, Curtius. So long as Bruning lasts it will be because he can flaunt in the face of any oppo- sition the President’s permission to send home the Abgeordneten at the first sign of mutiny. As a soldier Paul von Hindenburg bly spent five years of active serv- in the field, for his military career covered three wars and embraced more fighting than most younger men may boast. At the age of 70 his work as & warrior came to its climax. At the age of 80 his work as a statesman began. He has now seen as much service for the -state as President as he formerly saw of actual field work in the armies. The civilian Hindenburg has been born. ‘The man who fought with battalions has learned to fight with ballots—or, more properly in the present case, with the mere threat of them. 1t is even possible now, when the Re- public of Germany has weathered its first decade and this President of Ger- many has held his office during half the troubled crossing, that something of what is taking place within the minds of the people themselves is being re- flected in the conduct of Paul von Hin- denburg, and that from being merely & great military leader he is gradually be- coming & great national figure and spol Desires to Fit Into New Role. ‘The President seems to wish to fit into his new role. Aside from rare meetings with his fellow staff officers of the East- ern or Western fronts, anniversary din- ners when politics are taboo_and for- eign affairs are left undiscussed, wears no uniform. His palace is one of the simple, retiring buildings of the Wil- helmstrasse, with only two soldiers post- ed inconspicuously in front, as & guard of honor. The cha of this guard that at Buckingham Palace or even so pronounced as that of the Elysees, yet I recently witnessed a scene in connec- tion with it which expressed more suc- cinctly than any words just how far Hindenburg and his people have evolved away from earlier states of mind. A few weeks ago I was leaving the palace when, on the very threshhold, I was forced to halt. The small courtyard had be:cn invaded suddenly by a squad of men, eight or nine in all, who were falling in line directly In my path. Ap- n-‘r':zuy the watch had just been re- jeved. I lingered to watch them, because I had heard that they offered one of the few opportunities to observe the goose- step, that most debated and lmlltns of smart military paces, where at the first word of command a whole detachment smartly, noisily and in unison so as to centuate the cadence throughout the first four or five steps. It was just after noon, the hour when the Berlin streets are busiest and when not only the business houses, but also the schools are pouring forth their' in- mates for the midday pause. There is always a curious throng looking in at the President’s court from the strasse. On this occasion surely 200 passersby of all ages were thrusting their noses through the iron grill. Ber- lin swarms with conflicting reports as to the hour of the President’s daily drive, the hour of his daily walk and the hour of his daily visits. Apparently ing.! World War. these people thought they were at last going to see something. “Huuruump” came from the officer % et grey men brough eight gray it their heels together briskly and stood at at- tention, “Hump, hump, huuryum| ‘The inspection of arms c! “Hump, hurrump.” ‘They were off. Crash, crash, crash . . , it was the famous goose-step. It was especially loud and unexpect- edly impressive in this partially inclosed court, on this gravel bedding. Those 8 men made the noise of 50. It was more than the usually decorous Berlin crowd could stand. A shrill cres- cendo of laughter greeted the maneuver. As I hurried through the iron gates after the little troop and turned down the Wilhelmstrasse ‘with the crowd, it Was to see one student after another trying to outdo his fellow in caricactur- ing the steps which their fathers must have held holy. And their elders there beside them, their professors, the ma- ture passerby, did not look upon them with shocked surprise. They smiled and seemed to share in the joke. Suddenly the significance of the mo- ment struck me. Germany, the Kaiser gone and the army no longer in the saddle, has awakened from the worship- ful trance into which Frederick the Great first plunged her. The present generation has passed from beneath the spell of militarism. One no longer hears stories of visiting tourists thrust into the guttér while & saber swaggered by. Berlin has cast off its respect for chevrons and epaulets, uniforms and brass buttons. pres- ent reverence for Paul von Hindenburg throughout all but reactionary, mili- taristic Germany—and it must be re- peated that Ludendorff and his parti- sans of German Fascistl had denounced the President because of his stand on the Young plan—is due not to any reverance of the army as such, but in- stead to & man of great and outstand- ing ability, the military leader who proved himself an able strategist, the retiring general who first led home his order and saved the coun- try from pillage, the President who at the cost:of his former ties knew when to deny an excess or TOUS patri- otism. ‘which must figure of icked off. 1t 1s one of the anomolies be resolved before the true Wi can be ap) ar 3 ny, with & general at the of the state, is none the less awakening from the illusion of militarism. It is true that the election of Hindenburg to the presidency tremendously aided the strength of republicanism in Germany . . . but the man elected was Hinden- burg the officer and gentleman, not Hindenburg the soldier. Their is a difference. Neither England nor Austria nor France has given any particular civil advancement to the leaders who saw them through the Even America, seeking uv“fi‘v‘;l ,t.'!n. hero cance, & Val or Bae ebosen Jx is not at all so striking a ceremony as | man sets out to march, bringing the feet down | maxim, h tead of | servi Tippe- | sa in retiring from November day the Kaiser had rendered him back his allegiance. It is Hinden- burg’s stand on this delicate matter of the officer's oath of allegiance which has most influenced the more moderate ex-officers to support the government of Germany as it is now constituted. They feel they might safely follow their old war-time leader. Among_the bourgeois, however well he himself understand the Kaiser's retirement, he is hailed as the strong man who stayed and saved the country when the Kalser ran away. Hinden- burg is the man who saved the Gt honor, who saved the face of the - man army, who brought home the troops flags flying and drums beat- ing, the columns unbroken, the homes unmolested, the storehouses unsacked. ‘With the farmers Hindenburg is the man who stands for a policy of agricul- tural relief and who has the power as President to throw into one common alleglance for the betterment of the farmer even .such discordant political units /as Hugenberg’s party and the Center. Furthermore, among the farmer boys there are many former soldiers who look upon Hindenburg as the French poilu looked upon Papa Joffre—the one man who came down from his position in the rear to walk through the trenches, ‘There is a soincidence about Hingen- burg's fighting before the Russians which German aristocrats are not slow to introduce. Hindenburg happens to hb. % the descendant of Charlemagne, 0 the kingd of Franks at first. Now when Von Hindenburg’s conciliatory state- craft surpasses narrow views of Na- he | tionalists, who council fanatic resist- ce when it is impossible or futile gestures when they would only imperil the country, Hindenburg's vast pres his rr-oml accomplishments and family name bring to his standard a conservative who would oprose any lesser man. ‘That is why, perhaj ‘when one speaks of the old general with any one * bui . of Ludendorfl and Hugenl still holds their votes. nes Man Appears “Ageless.” ‘To those who have been admitted to speak with Hindenburg the impression of age does not matter. This man is 'ageless. This man today is s a new career. Over the desk where he labors h his routine work for several hours each day he has the old motto which his father gave him years 8go, “Ora et labora.” It is the equiva- the Anglo-Saxon militarist's “Trust God and keep your powder dry.” ’ Hindenburg puts In a full eight-hour day at his g-lce. He is up betimes, ' working at his desk in order to keep abreast of political developments at home and abroad. His powers as Presi- dent are not as great as those of the American Executive, but much greater than those of the French. This octo- genarian is no figurehead. He is an ac- tive servant of his people. In conversation today he still sits as he did during the war discussing ma- neuvers with Ludendorff. His face has not changed. It is still half leonine, the Jaw l:aum. the eyes circ] resisted the years with Nordic powers, He has achieved something of the im- mortal through his dependence u s measured vitality and a steady routifie, Every day he walks out into the gar-» den behind the palace, shielded from curious onlookers, with his daughter- in-law or with one of the suite. He stoops to observe the flowers of Spring. When he straightens again one may ob- serve the helght of this person of per- haps the most ancient Frankish-Teu- tonic lineage now existing. He is a fine figure of a man—an almost mythical figure of & man. And 1t is upon this that the German mind of today places the most empha- sis _in thinking of Hindenburg. It is perhaps coincidence that dui the five years of his administration the German national income has been esti- mated to have increased 15,000,000,000 marks. But it is no coincidence that the German morale has improved un- der his leadership; and here indeed may be seen the bridge from his persopality to the general economic betterment gf the country. “What do you think of him?>” I asked a stolid German official standing deside me by a window giving on the garden. It had begun to rain. The President and his daughter-in-law were, however, g their walk. 1 think of him?” he re- e of barossa of our day...our leader and our legend.” Hawaiian Area Listed Healthiést Spot in World y ‘The annual report of Maj. Gen. M. W. Ireland, surreon general of the United States Army, declares that Ha- wail has proved to be the healthiest spot of all the world where American troops have been stationed. The rewe ords of the Hawaiian department head- glrldrl beéar out that assertion fully. th in the number of to hospitals and in number of deaths mr thousand troops, Hawail's rate is the lowest of any Army or station. post n of communicable dis- ease cases is also very 3 Due to the mild climate the are able to be out of doors every in the year and, indeed, could be under ean- vas most of that time without any hardship. Only the occasional heavy tropical rains, and never cold weather, interrupt the normal outdoor routine of military drill and practice. Col. Thonths Bratton, department surgeon, points out that the climate and ample outdoorsp- rortunlly limit communicable in the Hawaiia