U.S. Urged To Stake Claims In Antarctic

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28472, 30 December 1957, Page 7

U.S. Urged To Stake Claims In Antarctic

(Rec. 8 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Dec. 28. The United States Government was today urged by two senior Congressional Republicans to stake out its claims to the Antarctic. One of them, Mr Thor Tollefson (Washington), said he had been informed that the nation’s top strategy-making group—the National Security Council—“ap-_ proves the objectives” of his Antarctic Claims Bill now before the House of Representatives foreign affairs committee. Mr Walter H. Judd (Minnesota), a senior committee member, said “our Government ought to press now for a settlement of Antarctic claims that will be just and equitable.” Otherwise, he said, rival claimants were likely to get into years of “hassling” as the claims got firmer and new values were found for the vast sub-continent

The legislators spoke in interviews on the heels of fresh reports of international interest in the South Pole area. Moscow Radio yesterday, re-

ported that two heavjly-laden expeditions were heading for the Magnetic Pole and the Geographic South Pole. British and New Zealand groups also are on their way to the geographic centre, where a United States scientific expedition is already encamped. The Russians are hurrying an icebreaker to survey along the shore of an unclaimed area. Although United States expeditions have explored far more of the frozen land than has any other nation, the United States has not laid claim to any territory there. ’tit also refused to recognise the claims of other countries. Mr Tollefson said Britain. France. Norway, Australia, New Zealand. Argentina and Chile had laid claims to large areas of Antarctica although 75 per cent, of the sub-continent had been seen orflv by Americans. The Russians, he said, had not vet issued an official claim but had indicated they were going to stay ip Antarctica a long time. “Whoever controls the lands

down there could just play heck with us” if the Panama Canal were blown up and United States ships had to go around Cape Horn, he said. Mr Tollefson said he believed the United States was holding back on its claims until after the end of the Internationa) Geophysical Year, a year from now. The legislator, and top Republican on the Merchant Marine Committee, viewed the Antarctic situation as added incentive for a United States programme to build an atomic-powered icebreaker. He has prepared a bill for construction of such a ship which, because it would not need to return for refueling as do conventional icebreakers, could serve as a tanker and cargo vessel as well He estimated it might cost 40 million dollars.

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