DR. FRANK CRANE’S DAILY EDITORIAL

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 180, 20 October 1927, Page 16

DR. FRANK CRANE’S DAILY EDITORIAL

THE FICKLENESS OF FAME

(Copyright, 1U27) T) ICHES may he fickle, people say they are, but most of us would like to have them awhile and watch them “fick.” But whatever may be true of riches, fame is surely fickle. We all struggle for the spotlight and front page publicity, but -when e get it it doesn’t last very long. . Those who are along in years can recall the many instances. e remember that “Doc” Cook was honoured by the Danes and welcomed by the Americans and afterwards that Peary took his place for a few brief minutes. Then there was Jack Binns, the famous wireless operator on the steamei Republic, which was rammed off Nantucket Island, who stuck to his post until the Baltic responded and the passengers were all rescued. How many people of to-day know who Jack Binns was. A man by the name of Kissinger probably did more for his country than any man. In 1900 he was a private in the army but allowed himself to be inoculated with yellow fever to prove that the disease came from mosquito bites. He is now living in poverty and gets a meagre pension from the Government. . , .. Once we sat up and took notice of Louis Bleriot, who flew across the English Channel, the first man to perform that exploit. Where is Bleriot now? Where are the snows of yesterday year? Then there was Captain Richmond P. Hobson, the hero of the Santiago Harbour. Once we were all applauding him and the girls anxious to kiss him. He now lives in Pasadena and few know that he is alive. And so we say of Amundsen, the first man to reach the South Pole and to fly a dirigible over the North Pole, and of Commander John Rodgers, who was wrecked on his flying trip to Honolulu, George "ioung, who swam the Catalina Channel, and Gertrude Ederle, who swam the English Channel, that they might give a few pointers to Commander Byrd and Colonel Lindbergh as to the fickleness of fame.