FOR INTERNATIONAL AMITY

Northern Advocate, 8 June 1936, Page 5

FOR INTERNATIONAL AMITY

ADMIRAL BYRD TO DEDICATE HIS LIFE (Received 2 p.m.) NEW YORK, June 7. To follow out an inspiration conceived during his long vigil in an advance observation shack on his last Antarctic expedition, Rear-Adiniral Byrd said he was prepared to dedicate the remainder of his life, with the exception of two years, to working for international amity. Addressing a large gathering of industrial leaders at a testimonial dinner, the explorer revealed his thoughts as contained in his personal diary, from which he read: “The distance and detachment of this place seem to soften some human follies, and from here the great folly of all is the amazing attitude of civilised nations towards each other. Fear of antagonism and reprisals seems to be the rule among the nations which, in their conduct, are, I believe, 20,000 years behind the individual civilised citizen in his conduct towards his neighbour. Rear-Admiral Byrd said that where science had opened new boundaries for fuller lives for the world’s inhabitants, the nations were using technological knowledge to prepare for war. Even aviation, he said, which is a gift that would tie us together as members of the same human race in knowledge, understanding and friendship, is being perverted to uses never dreamed of. “I shall set aside two years later to further explorations, but soon I shall start work for international amity. My path will be extremely humble, for my experience lies in far different fields.”