Salt Lake Telegram | 1926-02-18 | Page 14 | Plans to Beat Russia to Pole

PlANS TO DEAT RUSSIA TO POLE W Wade ad Inspired d by Envy of Soviet REASON IS CLEAR WORLD FLIER SAYS Clo Closing ing of Wrangell Isle Significant NEW l YORK YORI Feb 18 1 AP AP-A AP A desire to beat the Isone is isone isone one reason for the polar flight light to tobe tobe tobe be headed this summer by Lieutenant Lieutenant Lieuten Lieuten- ant Leigh Wade Vade around world the world the flier who Is to resign from the the army Ever Every member of ot the the American universities universities' expedition believes he said that The bols plan to beat us In finding the continent we Ve feel fee assured lies in the uncharted seas above Alaska The reason is clear enough he declares because a Ua military base could be established with a days day's flying distance of the most important Important important tant cities of the northern hemisphere hemis hemIs- phere LOOKS SIGNIFICANT He cited the closing of Wrangell island the peninsula and northeastern Sib Siberia to foreigners for for- eigners as evidence that soviet Rus Rug Russia sla sia Is planning an expedition to head of off discoveries and claims by other nations American airmen know that RUSSin Russia Russia Rus RUS- sia Sin has as large laige an air force as the United States Slates and as much equipment equipment equip equip- ment he insists Russia I Is n now w manufacturing Its own planes It If If anyone can imagine t them em twirling their thumbs with a large ambitious well equipped air force while others go In and plant the American flag on a continent they have a better bettel imagination than I have pave he declared CLAIM ANTICIPATED He expects tha that t if an Arctic continent continent continent con con- is founds it will prove to be bea a high flat table land not unlike Greenland offering offering- excellent landin land landing land Ian in ing places He expressed the belief bellet that Russians fear the United t wilt will claim Wrangell Wran ell Island iland off oft Point Barrow Alaska which would provide an an Intermediate fl flying fly fly- ing base on a route to one farther north Lieutenant Wade expects to reconnoiter reconnoiter reconnoiter re- re at Point Barrow next month and the expedition which Is backed by alumni of Yale Harvard Harvard Harvard Har Har- vard Princeton and nd the University of Pennsylvania expects to sail from Seattle early In June Lieutenant H H. H H H. Ogden also an world the flier who will be Lieutenant Wades Wade's assistant has already resigned from Irom the army alt aIr service to join the expedition