1950. The Union of South Africa reactivated its station on 
Marion Island in 1955-1956 as a part of the IGY. 
Naturally as the IGY draws toward its close on Decem- 
ber 31, 1958, those of us who have been involved in the 
program are concerned about its continuation. We are 
sure now as I speak that there will be such continuity. It 
is apparent to anyone that the value of scientific data being 
gathered by IGY is cumulative. The longer continuous 
observations can be maintained, the greater is the value to 
any part of our accumulated knowledge, as well as to the 
whole. Dr. Harry Wexler, who is chief of the research 
activities of the United States Weather Bureau, estimates 
that a ten-year minimum of continuous observations is 
necessary to get a comprehensive understanding of Antarc- 
tic weather and climate and the effect it has throughout 
the rest of the world. 
I believe that the major exports of Antarctica are scien- 
tific data. Certainly that is true now and I think it will be 
true for a long time and I think these data may turn out to 
be of vastly more value to all mankind than all of the 
mineral riches of the continent and the life of the seas that 
surround it. 
On September 9, 1957, an ad hoc committee on post-IGY 
activities in Antarctica met in Stockholm. There were rep- 
resentatives from Argentina, Chile, France, Great Britain, — 
Norway, Japan, the Soviet Union, and the United States. 
This committee recommended to its parent ICSU (Inter- 
national Council of Scientific Unions) that plans should 
be carried out for a continuing cooperative scientific pro- 
eram in Antarctica. Toward this end ICSU invited par- 
ticipating nations to name representatives for the creation 
of a Special Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR). 
29 
