World Events Explained.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 207, 2 September 1939, Page 3 (Supplement)

World Events Explained.

RIVAL ANTARCTIC CLAIMS. (II.) The until recently half forgotten Antarctic continent has suddenly become of great importance ill tlie affairs of nations 011 account of its value in aviation, both commercial and strategical. That is the princij>al reason why Great Britain, Germany, the United States of America, France, and to a lesser extent, Norway and the Argentine, have become so intensely interested ill it. Look at the map al>ove. You will readily see from it that the shortest air routes ;onnecting South Africa, South America, Australia and New Zea'and are all via the Antarctic con--inent. just as the shortest air routes to many parts of the northern hemisphere lie over the Arctic. The Ant»rctic is thus of value for landing places for aircraft. Admiral Byrd las proved that it is possible for men '.o live :n the Antarctic for considerable periods provided they are prorided with certain amenities of life

By ARPAD SZIGETVARY.

which are lacking there. Men such as Xiinsen, Scott. Sliackleton and others could, of course, have also proved this, hut they lacked the money to put theory into practice, and lacked the aid of aviation. The Americans arcs;con to forestall a German expedition to Antartica (see my last week's , • t,./ , f . .»,v 1 .. article 111 hnztxl Junior ) because , they do not like the idea of Germany being provided with an aerial "jumping oil"' place so near to South America. The United States intends to claim all of Antarctica that is in .. . . , . , . , the western hemisphere, and Admiral Byrd considers that the area should come under the Monroe Doctrine, To try and make the American claims "all the more substantial thev ... , ... , , " intend to establish three base camps (numbered 1, 2 and 3 in the map)

which will be occupied for four or five years by relays of "colonists," a scheme which they think would give them good right to the territory. It is an ambitious plan, and one which should make rival claims hard to support when we consider what has happened in the recent cases of certain Pacific Islands which Britain . . , . . TT , LU . e da lined, hut the United States of America gained through "colonisation." The Antarctic is valuable not only for aviation alone. In Admiral " V l , ' I d ' s | " !* held left for science." It is also a "maker of weather," as I explained last week, giving the case of Argentina. well as all this it is claimed thut t !' e Antarctic continent has economic resources in cooper and gilve|% toget her with vast deposit* of coal and oil.

It is easy, therefore, to see how what was a forlorn "No-man's" land for so long, has now become the centre of inuoh international interests. The continent lias, of course, been the scene of many heroic endeavours. Koald Amundsen, who had the privilege of planting on. the South Pole the flag of his country, knew himself that the nation which had done most to bring it about, which had found the way and borne the cold and the burden of the many heartbreaking years of effort, wun the one whose representative, Captain Scott, readied the coveted spot second. At the time when these two gallant rivals were striving after the same goal, little thought was given to the continent of Antarctica itself, which was considered a land of death and desolation, although it inspired such selfless heroism and sacrifice of life. Now it springs into new significance. Will landing fields be practicable amidst the icy wastes? Scientists of different nations eager to experiment say they can. It is interesting to speculate as to the importance of this strange land in future politics.