Show autumn brings washington A potpourri of occasions by BAUKHAGE news analyst and commentator washington after a tropically terrible summer the capital burst into autumnal glory with cool weather providing the zest and zip necessary to meet the feverish renewal of activity after the summer doldrums let me review some of the varied events which provided pungent relief relict from the news new of diplomatic quarrels political billingsgate and war out at the airports airport an american 4 airlines plane christened for the occasion don gaspar caspar de portola dropped croppe d out of the skies down the ramp came a I 1 black bearded helmeted spanish q v Conquist conquistadors adore resplendent in flowing scarlet cape and shining broadsword next came a charming chinese girl in her ruffled dress alluring as a lotus BAUKHAGE blos blossom SOrrL then a less exotic crowd of beauties sports folk business men headed beaded by the mayor of san francisco they had come to tell us about the resumption this year of the portola festival at the golden gate they visited eight other major cities too don gaspar caspar de portola was the famous explorer who was sent cent to america from spain in 1769 to chase the jesuits from california the english from canada and the russians from alaska he quite fill that order but he did locate and explore san francisco bay and discover ii ti scover a couple of other bar acre I 1 paid my respects to his excellency don gaspar to the tall slim pretty and modest water nymph ann curtis olympiad winner and to my old did pal jimmy abbey onetime international ph photographer who made even stalin look pleas pleasant now jimmy Is an ABC commentator men on the pacific coast but something better was to come we sat down to luncheon and I 1 felt elt right at homel home there was chet john lischetti ot of the nugget grill founded way back in the gold rush days when nuggets were the medium of exchange and better still there were sand dabs that strange flat bat creature sans scales in k W PORTOLA AND ENTOURAGE the ocean and tana sans rival when prepared a la Is pescal oro get the nugget but best of all was wa the crab salad nugget which makes all other crabs seem crabbed by comparison the food was all native flown down from san francisco tor for the occasional viva Port olal olat george C marshall As a humanitarian the marine band blares out a march from the platform overlooking the huge presidential entla I 1 room of the statler where more than SOO guests are gathered tor for the ceremony in which variety international that cheerful and charitable group of show folk Is to confer its iti annual humanitarian award in march the guests of honor statesmen ta diplomats tycoons ty coons actors legal lights and whatnot they the gund at their places at the head bead tables which form two tiers banked with roses fanfare and george catlett marshall takes his bis place amid cheers that drown the music the salute to the colors we sit down to drown any modicum of sorrow that has survived the preceding reception speeches are short and good marshall as aa secretary of state could say little that was new something that was grim much that was encouraging and all ol of it off the record tor for ws we are already in the midst of parlous international negotiations variety club president reads the citation tho ilia career of the lion hall george catlett marshall has embraced leadership in peace as s well as in war soldier by profession he has ever displayed a conspicuous and consistent genius for the military shunning lag the opportunity to seek keek surcease from the ciraula uve burdens of two world wars his bt devotion to principle and coup coultry try has led him blong along the paths path toward world amity and peace since the he end of hostilities As author of the marshall plan be translated into generous and inspiring fulfillment the shining hope for liberty honor and dignity of tree free men everywhere lwe ere we salute the breadth of vision and warmth of heart of a great and beloved american and so to bed review of byrds antarctic expedition rain pours we drive through the slippery washington streets to the navy yard now the naval gun factory the washington navy yard was planned by president john adams when french aggression made Ire freedom edorn of the seas a menacing international issue work began on the site in 1800 here the and the hornet were built to play their roles in the war of 1812 here the constitution and tho the president came tor for overhauling and repairs we stop at the sentry box guests of admiral davis the marine sentry salutes we know our way to the officers club handshakes and refreshments and into a bus that takes us to the event of the evening which the rain prevented us from witnessing aboard the hulking moored to the dock in the anacostia river so we must go indoors to see one of the most thrilling things I 1 ever saw on the screen A motion picture made from the actual photographic record of the 1946 47 exploration of the antarctic under adm richard E byrd I 1 hope you saw or will see it secret land it had its premier on navy day in 80 cities the commercial movie makers used the official film taken by navy marine corps coast guard and army cameramen on the scene the picturing of disaster of rescue of tragedy of suspense of achievement in most cases the actual event as it happened are something for which I 1 have no BO comparison one purpose of the 1946 expedition which was a follow up of byrds original 1929 undertaking when he established little america and explored the great antarctic ice cap was to train the navy in polar operations another aim was to make further discoveries and release the unknown treasures which byrds earlier explorations indicated were there ere for the benefit of mankind even the routine operations the ships amidst the ice floes the landing on the icecap ice cap the erection of the tent city and the operation of the planes was an inspiring and thrilling sights sight a tremendous tribute to the american skill in mechanical char ch ical achievement in personal endurance bravery ingenuity it will make you proud to be an american admiral byrd look much older than when we bid him god speed before he started on his first antarctic venture that was close to me tor for I 1 was connected with the organization that hat syndicated the story tor for the press but I 1 was struck with the passage of tas time e and the years of study and research res ear ch that have intervened when I 1 looked at dr paul polar authority and geographer he was present in the flesh as well as on the screen paul was chosen to go on the 1929 expedition after win nine nang in a competition involving boy scouts scoots of america then he be was a tall slender lad of 20 now hes stocky and graying As a prominent geographer he has done important research for the war department the story of the antarctic Is studded with great names scott amundsen shackelton to mention only three as well as with sacrifice and tragedy this picture of the secret land less secret now snows shows the tremendous advances in technology made since the days of the early explorers it took thousands of years to shape the penguins wings into the fins which make his survival in a polar land possible in a few years in the laboratories and factories of america we have shaped the means which make survival and exploration possible in the same environment exploration and discovery which some day may be of 0 tremendous benefit to mankind |