Polar Pilgrim

Last week, Polar Pilgrim Nobile planted the flag of Italy upon the North Pole, dropped upon its icy wastes the cross given into his hands by Pope Pius, conducted the first religious ceremony ever held on top of the world and, warmed by the glow of an object accomplished, headed back through icy winds toward Kings Bay. It had taken him 19 hours to reach the Pole. The first 17 hours of the return trip brought many messages to the base ship Citta di Milano complaining of heavy winds and encrusting ice. These difficulties had interfered with Pilgrim Nobile's previous trip to Leninland (TIME, May 28). Suddenly the messages ceased . . . fears deepened . . . in San Francisco an S.O.S. was picked up from a Vladivostok station, a message asking help for the Italia in English, French, Italian. No position was given. . . .

Father Gianfranchesci, chaplain of the expedition, telling his beads in Kings Bay, pinched himself to make sure he was alive. Chosen to drop the cross upon the Pole, he had his mystic misgivings. So when Signora Nobile wired her Polar Pilgrim to drop the cross with his own hands for luck, the good Father gladly remained behind.

At Kansas City, Mo., Methodists in convention (see p. 26) silently prayed during a long minute that the pilgrims reach safety.