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ADVENTURERS’ CLUB
HEADLINES FROM THE LIVES
OF PEOPLE LIKE YOURSELFI
“Wild Night Afloat”
Hello everybody:
You know, sometimes Old Lady Adventure puts you
through the paces in a second or two, and then lets up on you.
I’ve told you boys and girls a couple of yarns, at least, that
didn’t last more than five or six seconds at the most. But there
are also times when the old girl with the thrill bag seems to
take delight in teasing her victims, as a cat would tease a mouse
—tossing one bit of hard luck after another at them, until she
has them worn down and ready to quit.
Floyd Smith of Chicago could tell you a yarn like that. A
tale of terror for hours on end. And as a matter of fact, Floyd
will tell you that story. For we’ve got him here with us at the
Adventurers’ campfire tonight and he’s all ready to go.
It’s a story of the World war—and, incidentally, Floyd
wants me to announce that if any of the three fellows who
went through it with him should read this story—well—*he sure hopes
they’ll drop him a line.
The scene of this yarn is Brest, France, where Floyd was attached
to the U. S. naval air station. He was one of a crew of four on a speed
boat—the type of craft that is known as a gig in the navy—and it was
one day in August, 1918, that the gig and its crew was sent out for an
all-night battle with Old Lady Adventure.
Men Ordered Taken OS Pensacola.
It was about eight o’clock in the evening when the officer of the day
brought their orders. The U. S. S. Pensacola had weighed anchor a short
time before and was putting out to sea. Aboard her was a 15-man detail
from the air station, which had been helping to unload the ship. They
were to have been taken off before the Pensacola sailed, but the orders
had been mixed up, and there they were, getting a ride they were never
intended to have. The gig’s orders were to catch the Pensacola and
take the men off.
Says Floyd: “We took out after the ship, which was already
in the narrow channel that leads from the bay to the open sea. In
about 10 minutes we were a hundred yards astern of the Pensa
cola, when suddenly our motor quit. Well—it goes without saying
that we did not catch the Pensacola. As luck would have it
the tide was going out, and it swept us out to sea.”
The water out there was too deep for the anchor line, so they kept
right on drifting. It was growing dark by that time, so no one ashore
saw their predicament. With no means to stop the boat from drifting,
. GM
“We were a hundred yards astern of the Pensacola, when suddenly
our motor quit.”
those four lads worked frantically, trying to get the motor started again,
but they only made matters worse. They ran the batter down and
then they were left without lights.
The Gig Drifts Slowly Out to Sea.
“By this time,” says Floyd, “it was pitch dark and it had started to
rain. There was nothing to do but drift, so we drifted.”
And under that casual statement, there lies a world of terror.
Those four lads—every one of them—knew what it meant to
drift out to sea. If they were lucky they might be picked up by
a passing steamer. But on the other hand, it was all too easy
to drift unsighted for days on end, and finally perish of thirst and
exposure.
“We drifted until about 2 a. m.,” Floyd says, “and then the sea began
to get rough and we really had something to worry about, for there were
mine fields all about the entrance of the harbor and we figured we had
drifted into them. The mines were moored 12 feet below the surface,
but with the high swells bobbing us up and down, we stood a good chance
of hitting one of them. We began holding our breaths.”
About an hour later, they sighted a blinker light—and that was the
signal for more panic.
“It was too high to be on a ship,” says Floyd, “so it must have
been on a cliff. Were we going to be washed against this cliff?
We all prepared for the worst. We put on life preservers and let
out the anchor. But the anchor didn’t hold. The boat still drifted.
After a while we had drifted to a place where we could see
lights in the distance. Could it be true that we were in the
channel, heading back toward Brest?”
Boat Drifts Back to Starting Point.
And that’s just where they were. The boat had drifted right back
to where it had started.
Luck? Sure, it was. But those lads still had the worst of their ad
venture to go through. Back on shore, someone had spotted them. The
blinker on the cliff was signaling, but in a code they couldn’t understand.
“Would they open fire on us?” says Floyd. “That’s what we
were afraid of. They kept searchlights on us until we were half
way through the channel, and then we saw a swift-moving vessel
coming in our direction. When it got with a hundred yards of
us I could see that it was a torpedo boat. Its searchlight beamed
on us, and it came straight for us.”
Straight at them it came—full speed ahead, and with no intention of
stopping. It just grazed the stern of the boat—but with a force that spun
it around and almost knocked its four occupants overboard.
“By the time we had come to our senses," says Floyfl, “it
had turned and was coming back to take another ram at us. All
four of us began yelling at the top of our lungs, ‘Americans—
Americans!’ ”
The boat came on. It came within a few feet of the gig, and
then, suddenly, it turned sharply aside. The boys kept right on
yelling, “Americans,” then from the French torpedo boat came
the answer, “Oui, oui.”
“We told them our engine had broken down,” says Floyd, “and they
said they thought we were a German submarine. They towed us back
to our station, and when we were ashore again we all agreed it was one
night we would long remember.”
(Released by Western Newspaper Union.)
Hay-Pauncefort Treaty Protects the Panama Canal
The Panama canal was built by
the U. S. and is owned and con
trolled by this country. Both Amer
ican and foreign vessels using it pay
tolls for the privilege. The United
States by treaty with the republic
of Panama has a perpetual lease
of the Canal Zone and has exclusive
control of it. According to the
4erms of the Hay-Pauncefort treaty
of 1901, which prepared the way for
its construction, the canal “shall be
free and open to the vessels of com
merce and of war of all nations ob
serving these rules, on terms of
entire equality.” The treaty stipu
lates that a belligerent’s war ves
sels may have transit through the
canal with the least possible delay
and without taking on stores or
troops. Panama has no right to
take possession of the canal and is
not likely to undertake to gain it by
force.
Modem Pioneers Head for Antarctic,
Hoping to Start New American Colony
Byrd Expedition Leaves
In Mid-October for
Two-Year Stay.
By CLYDE PEARSON
(Released by Western Newspaper Union.)
ON SOME future day the
air voyager bound from
New York to Australia may
spend the night at America’s
settlement in the antarctic,
proceeding across the South
pole next day to complete his
trip. During his overnight
visit he will chat with Amer
ican colonists who spend six
to seven months a year at
the southern tip of the world,
bringing precious ores out of
the snow-covered mountains
and shipping them back
home by plane and boat.
If this idea seems far-fetched
to 129,999,999 Americans, it
doesn’t to the other one
—Rear Admiral Richard Ev
elyn Byrd. Come October
and he’ll head out of Boston on his
third trip to the South pole, the first
such expedition to be financed by
the government since jthe intrepid
Captain Wilkes was given a vague
commission by congress in 1838 to
“explore new lands.”
It will be the firgt attempt by any
nation to establish a polar land
claim on the basis of permanent set
tlement. And it may run into a
pack of trouble.
Conflict With Argentina.
Commander Byrd hopes to claim
for the United States all of Marie
Byrd Land and the adjoining James
Ellsworth Land, which together in
clude some 500,000 miles. He also
hopes to explore (and possibly
claim) part of the Weddell sea quad
rant, and it is here that he will run
against Argentina’s claims. As
shown on the map, that nation main
tains her right to a sector extend
ing toward the pole from the Faulk
land islands. The territory is also
claimed by Great Britain.
Inasmuch as Argentina’s friend
ship is highly valued, the state de
partment will make every effort to
respect her wishes, at the same
time maintaining her new policy of
refusing to recognize any polar
claim that has not been permanent
ly settled.
Briefly, the new Byrd expedition
has a two-year job. Leaving in three
Summer Reaches Washington
When Congress Leaves Town
WASHINGTON.— Summer’s
almost over for most of
America, but for Washington
it’s just started. Moon, sun and
climate to the contrary, the na
tion’s capital knows only one
unfixed period of summertime
each year.
It starts the instant speak
ers of both houses of congress
bang their adjournment gav
els and send the thundering
herd of legislators back to
their home stamping grounds.
But by the same token summer—
come when it may—brings a new in
flux to Washington. It is then that
tourist business reaches its peak,
drawing thousands of summer-vaca
tion, Christmas-bills-finally-paid-off
visitors.
But modern Washington summers
have lost the out-to-lunch touch that
once made the city a haven for those
who sought escape from the mad
ding crowd. Since 1932 a huge crop
of new administrative offices has
grown up, keeping much of the city’s
population busy without letup. Once,
in the dear dead days, all govern
mental offices automatically adopted
a shorter work day immediately aft
er congress adjourned. Even to
day, despite the growth of new bu
reaus, longer lunch hours and brief
er days are the rule.
Investigators Stay On.
Still another harsh note breaks
the Potomac’s stillness this sum
mer. As in all summers preceding
election years, the current between
session spell finds investigating com
mittees hard at work. One reason
is that their members can draw big
headlines without competition dur
ing the news-less dog days of late
summer.
This summer’s committees will
be headed by Texas’ Rep. Martin
Dies, who reopens his investigation
of subversive activities. The new
house committee to investigate the
national labor relations board will
provide a bit more entertainment.
Such affairs will not interest the
tourists, however. Preparing for a
boom season, the board of trade has
made plans once more to cash in on
a $60,000,000 annual business.
Washington tourist business comes
from all over the world. It is esti
mated that only 5 per cent of for
eign visitors to the United States fail
to see the city. Hence the profes
sional guides who speak Frepch,
German, Italian and Spanish. The
tourists’ favorite meccas are the
Smithsonian institution and Nation-
BAKER COUNTY NEWS
ANTARCTICA—Shaded areas
show the section claimed by
Argentina and that which Ad
miral Byrd’s party will explore
during the next two years, pos
sibly staking out land claims for
the United States. As shown on
the map, U. S. and Argentine
interests clash in part of this
section. Right: Admiral Byrd.
ships, two of them owned by the
government and the third—the vet
eran “Bear of Oakland”—leased on
a “dollar a year” basis, the party
will establish three bases. ' One -will
be at Little America, Byrd’s old
camp in Marie Byrd Land. Another
will be at Palmer Land, which is the
hook extending out of Antarctica to
ward South America, just west of
the Weddell sea. The third will be
midway between the two in what is
unexplored territory.
Can Stay Two Years.
In early spring, when the long ant
arctic night has passed, the three
parties will set out in sleds and dog
teams to explore the frozen lands of
the interior. Unknown territory will
be mapped and data will be sought
concerning important mineral re
sources. It has been established def
initely that these wastelands con
tain coal, and probably other min
erals of more immediate value to
the United States.
About 180 men will make the trip,
60 of them remaining at the three
GONE HOME — Metropolitan
Police Officer Edward Brown
pushes his six feet, nine and one
half inches against the famous
bronze doors of the senate, closing
up for a few months now that con
gress has left town.
al museum, the capitol building
(whose chambers still echo the past
winter’s angry debates) and the
White House.
These Draw ’Em, Too!
Following close in popularity
come Mount Vernon, the tomb of the
Unknown Soldier, the bureau of
printing and engraving, the Wash
ington cathedral, Supreme court, li
brary of congress, federal bureau of
investigation, Pan-American union
and the Lincoln memorial.
Most popular method of inspecting
the city is via the sightseeing bus.
Thus tourists visit the White House
and other historical spots at the rate
of 6,000 a day, listening to guides
reel off an unintelligible spiel and
crack stock jokes, many of which
deservedly draw no laughs.
Though August is the peak month,
tourists will continue to pour in
through September and October. By
November 1 the species becomes al
most extinct, remaining thus for the
next six months until May again
beckons the patriotic American to
hallowed ground-
camps for at least a year. They
will maintain sufficient food supplies
for two years, however, because the
shifting ice packs may delay the
returning expedition.
Every modern scientific weapon
will be at the party’s disposal,
thanks to a $340,000 appropriation
by congress and assistance of the
new United States antarctic service.
Contributing to its personnel are the
interior, state, war and navy de
partments, the coast guard and sev
eral private scientific organizations.
Build Snow Cruiser.
The most novel instrument will be
a 45,000-pound snow cruiser being
developed by Dr. Thomas C. Poul
ter, second in command of Admiral
Byrd’s last antarctic expedition and
a member of the new party. This
giant craft, which will travel atop
the ice, is 55 feet long. It is de
signed to cross snow-covered crev
asses, thfe greatest peril of antarctic
land travel. It has 10-foot wheels
equipped with treads on the cater
pillar tractor principle and is driven
by a brace of diesel engines.
The boat carries three or four
men with ample supplies for several
months. On its roof will be strapped
a small airplane.
Many scientists are now consider
ing the possibility of a permanent
settlement. Whether or not such
colonization is made depends upon
the expedition’s findings regarding
the antarctic’s value as a future
source of minerals, as a fishery
source and as an observation post
for meteorological predictions. Con
gress will then decide from year to
year whether the colony should be
maintained.
Proposes Observatory.
Admiral Byrd is convinced the
settlement would be practical. Early
in June he pointed out that antarctic
weather stations should be constant
ly occupied with staffs, changed
from season to season.
“The south polar region is a
weather breeder for the whole world
south of the ecfhator and indirectly
affects us in the north,” he said.
“Data collected there, studied to
gether with that from other parts of
the world, will be of much practical
importance. It should enable our
scientists to make long-range weath
er forecasts with an accuracy great
er than anything we know now.”
At antarctic coal mines, and in
the vicinity of gold, silver and other
deposits expected to be found there,
he expects permanent settlements
will spring up within the next 50
years.
Predicts Aviation Bases.
Admiral Byrd thinks antarctic avi
ation possibilities are enormous.
Just as Russia and several other
nations have considered a Europe-
North America airline via the North
pole, Mr. Byrd thinks the time is not
far distant when planes will cross
the South pole regularly flying be
tween South or even North America
and Australia.
And so for the next two years we’ll
hear lots about the antarctic as the
expedition’s ships come and go, and
as the magic of wireless brings your
newspapers constant reports of this
unique land-staking junket into the
ice-crusted wilderness.
There’s only one catch to it. An
eagle-eyed reporter recently discov
ered that congress appropriated
funds to send an expedition to the
antarctic, without saying anything
specifically about getting it back.
Speaking privately, several mem
bers of the party thought this would
be a good idea in case war envelops
the civilized world during the next
two years.
But Admiral Byrd says no one
need worry—the expedition is com
ing back if it has to walk over the
ice like Eliza.
Jlsk Me Another
O A General Quiz
The Questions
1. Here is the first line of a well,
known poem: “I could not love
thee, dear, so much.” Can you
give the second line?
2. What country is known a,
“The Land of the White Ele
phant”?
3. What is the greatest depth in
the Atlantic?
The Answers
1. “Loved I not honor more.”
2. Siam is known as “The Land
of the White Elephant.”
3. Nearly 5% miles (28,680 feet),
north of Puerto Rico and Hispan
iola.
4. Spain.
5. An electron is smaller than
an atom.
f । j Analgesic (paln-easlng)
I almpiß 1 action brings quick re-
I Unuw.U:. I lief from simple neu
■ nEUralulaJ ralgia and headache.
PENETRO
Knew the Answer
“Now, who has behaved best
this week,” asked father, “and
done all that mummy said?”
“You, dad,” replied the angel
child.
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JIS m mi
UEbA
IMPARTIAL laboratory tests of 16
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