Adventure Magazine Cover, October 10, 1921 — page 186: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

176 you with a daily list of contributions received, thus relieving you of the necessity of actually handling the cash and the clerical work that goes with it? Then, through Adventure or by a circular letter (expenses for same to come out of the funds) apprize us of the arrangements and where to send our checks? Then, after this is done, some one would have to be given authority to draw checks on the fund for expenses. If any of the knockers want to question this method, why, to satisfy them, you could easily place a surety bond, paying for same from the fund, and thus silence any one who might be inclined to criticize. This is merely a suggestion on my part, which being one of many, may lend an idea from which the final plans may be evolved. HEN the depository is chosen and the keeper or keepers of the. fund are picked, and the necessary authority to draw on the fund has been worked out satisfactorily, then I think your idea of the museum taking active charge of the actual work is the best. The committee having charge of the cash, etc., necessarily should be located in New York. This committee, after the above de- tails have been carried out, should employ the museum to do the actual work of exploration, for a consideration that the museum shall name, the final figures to be changed, of course, if necessary, for it would be humanly impossible to judge to a few dollars what the cost of such a venture would be. The museum which would handle the expedi- tion chosen, then efforts should be made to hurry it along, and it should be conducted in the same painstaking way and in the same dignified manner and with the same lofty ideals as is noted in the National Geographic Society’s expeditions. We of course, shall choose where and what we want ex- plored and it should be understood absolutely that it is OUR expedition. With the party should go a photographer and a good, interesting dis- criptive writer. Personally, I will work till the last dog dies to have these two men included in the party, for reasons which I shall presently state. OW, after the fund is raised, those who will handle it chosen and the museum picked and the objective finally decided on, the next thing we have to consider is keeping the readers informed fully of all that is going on. To this end, I make this proposal, and I hope you will take it up with all Camp-Fire readers for a vote (for I feel that a vote will carry my proposal by an overwhelming majority): While the expedition is on, and until it is entirely completed, discontinue one short story per issue of Adventure and devote this space instead to an interesting, running account with full details of the expedition, its progress, plans, move- ments and any other news connected with it. Will you put that proposal up to your readers? I, for one, would prefer the loss of a short story an issue when an account of our own expedition could take the space, but I would hate like the deuce to see ‘‘Camp-Fire” cut down a single line in order to keep the stories going and at the same time print news of the venture. .~ OW, as to the photographer and writer ac- companying the expedition. Here is something I wish you would consider and give Camp-Fire a chance to consider, keeping in mind that it would: stitution gifts, but NOT for individual gifts. Adventure mean profit for the fund which could apply on future expeditions: Let the photographer take photo- graphs galore, of everything with the slightest interest attached and let the writer keep a detailed account of the journey. When the trip is completed, let at least 500 of the photographs and the running accounts of the expedition be published in a finely bound, well printed volume or volumes, with the names of all contributors to the fund (but not the amount each gives, of course) appended. Let these be published on a subscription basis, so as to assure expenses and a profit on them, and sola to us of Camp-Fire and us who contribute. Personally, I would pay well for such a volume and so would the other readers. And while on the subject, here is another angle: The writer could send back daily by carrier pigeon, wireless,. telegraph, cable or courier (or by all combined if necessary) a story of the day’s events, which we could syndicate readily to a large number of newspapers at space rates, or on a contract basis. Newspapers would be glad to use such news and it would advertise our expedi- tion wonderfully, besides being a source of good revenue. How about it? 5S TO the contributions, I favor Mr. McDonald’s plan over yours, for the following reasons. Mr. McDonald would limit gifts to $10, while you seem to favor no limit and an honor roll for those who contribute the largest sums. Now, here is why I think Mr. McDonald’s plan best: Scores, if not hundreds of Camp-Fire readers, would con- tribute probably a thousand if they had it. Many, to doubt, will, if no limit is on the gifts, give from $50 to as high as $500, or maybe more. But will the spirit of those who are fortunate enough to give large sums exceed that of those who can give no more than $10 or $1? I think not. An honor roll for big contributors, therefore, would only emphasize the difference in bank rolls, and not in the heart that sends the money. To my mind, the reader who will send in $1 because that is all he can spare, is entitled to as much glory as the man in better circumstances who may send in a thousand. I think you get the drift of my idea, so that’s that. Adventure, of course, not being an individual, could raise the limit for its own gift, the same as any other institution that might choose to help along the good work. Personally, I have in mind at least five in Pittsburg who would, I am sure, contribute not less than $5,000 or more if solicited. My limit idea applies only to individuals. Let an honor roll be formed, if need be, for corporation or in- In- stead if you want to spare the space, simply print the names of the contributors—all of them—and how much they give, without setting apart the larger gifts. Now, as to the objective of the expedition, where shall it be? Why not print a ballot in Camp-Fire with the names of at least a dozen out of the way and strange places, printed thereon and allow us to vote? The larger vote of course, designating the objective. For instance, there is a legend among newspapermen, and I think, elsewhere that there is an island in the West Indies group on which no one but women live. That would be an interesting (not meaning anything flippant) place to know about. And there are the Andes Mountains and the Moloate of Samoa, and the interiors of South SS MICLO© C@