INVASION OF ANTARCTIC.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 27, 1 February 1934, Page 6

INVASION OF ANTARCTIC.

As a child I spent many happy hour* watchincr the clowns who visited our small ■ town. 'For studied stupidity, however, no - clown ever reached the dizzy heights attained « by "Stay at Home" in his letter of the 29th ' ink. If this letter is a true indication of hie s state of mind, then "Stay at Home" should i stay at home and write his treatise on marbles. True human happiness comes from achieve- r ment, achievement of security. As an mdi- . vidual, what is the great soloist to me if my child is seriously ill, what is grand opera if j my creditors are foreclosing on the following , morning? What is all the potential gold of , the Antarctic to me if lam on relief work? . Absolutely nothing. First of all achieve my security, and then I shall enjoy all these , things with true happiness. Perhaps "Stay at Home" is happy under the cloak of false , security. The co-adventurers of Byrd and Ellsworth would be Scott and Amundsen, who crave their lives in till field of their greatest achievements, achievements that have made- • possible the further exploration of these deso- ■ late regions. The term, "adventurers." applied . to these men seems not in order, for surely they, one and' all, have and are doing, everything humanly possible (except staying at home) to avoid the incurring of any unnecessary hazard. "Stay at Home" thinks that j it is impossible for Byrd and Ellsworth to add to human happiness, but I deny this. It is a recognised fact that, solar influence excepted, the polar regions are the dominating factors which govern the weather conditions from day to day. These courageous explorers are blazing the trail that will lead to the establishment of meteorological and v seismological stations in the higher latitudes, and it will '"' '>y the< measure ©f. security that t these futuiv btations give to humanity that.„ the achievements of Scott, Amundsen, Byrd and Ellsworth will be gauged. I. V. PAYNE. : : '•.