Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-16
FROM THE HAND
OF THE PRESIDENT
CONTINUED from First Page.)

1
Continued from First Page.)
| tained by the sense of companionship and
| by the sense of divided responsibility.
You Cunning to Commander Peary), the
| man whom we join to honor tonight, you,
| who for month in and month out, year In
| and year out, had to face perils and over
come the greatest risks and difficulties with
| resting on your shoulders the undivided re-
| sponsibility which meant life or death to
| you and your followerS-you had to show
| in addition what the modern commander
| with his great responsibility does not have
| to show. You had to show all the moral
| qualities in war, together with other quail
| ties. You did great deed, deed that
counted for all mankind, deed which re-
| Elected credit upon you and upon your
| country, and on behalf of those present, and
| speaking also for the millions of your coun-
trymen, l take pleasure in handing you
| this Hubbard medal, and in welcoming you
| home from the great feat which you have
| performed, Commander Peary. prolonged
| applause)
| Commander Peary's Response.
The presentation was received with loud
! applause, and Commander Peary in reply
| said:
| President Roosevelt: In behalf of the
Peary Arctic Club and it's president, Morris
X. Jessup. beg to express our deep ap-
probation of the great honor conferred by
| the National Geographic Society in this
award of it's gold medal, and the double
| honor of receiving this medal from the
| hand of President Roosevelt.
| Your continued interest, Mr.. President.
| and permission to name the clubs ship
after you, has been most deeply valued by
| the club. and your name has proved a
| powerful taisman. Could I have foreseen
| this occasion it would have lightened many
| dark hours, but 1 will frankly say that 1t
would not. for it could not, have increased
| my efforts.
"The true explorer does his work not for
any hope of rewards or honors, but be-
cause the thing he has set himself to do
\ is a part of his very being, and must be
| accomplished for the sake Of accomplish
ment. and he counts lightly hardships.
| risks. obstacles, If only they do not bar
| him from his goal.
! ITO me the final and complete solution
| of the polar mystery which has engaged the
| best thought and interest of the best men
| of the most vigorous and enlightened ma
| lions of the world for more than three
| centuries, and today quickens the pulse of
| every man or woman whose veins hold red
blood, is the thing which should be done
! for the honor and credit of this country,
| the thing which it is intended that should
| do, and the thing I must do.
Assertions that the pole cannot be
| reached; that the result of the last expedi-
| ton has been to show the unavailability of
| dogs and sledges and of the route followed;
| that there are better methods for attaining
! the pole than by dogs and sledges; that the
! discovery of the pole is not matter of
any value or interest, are equally errO-
neouS.
Attainment Simplifed.
1.-THE results of the last expedition of the
| Peary Arctic Club has been to simplify the
attainment of the pole fifty per cent, and
| to accentuate the fact that man and the
Eskimo dog are the only two mechansms
capable of meeting all the varying contin-
gencies of arctic work, and that the Ameri-
can route to the pole and the methods and
equipment which have been brought to
high state of perfection are the best for
attaining that, object e
Had the past winter been a normal sea-
son in the arctic region, and not, as 1t
was, particularly open one throughout
the northern hemisphere, l should have
won the prize.
"And even If I had known before leav-
ing the: land what actual conditions were
haze SO modified my route and my dispo-
Sitfon of sledges that / coufd have reached
the pole in spite of the open season.
,&..Another expedition following In my
EsteAs and profiting by my experience can
noe only attain the pole, but can secure
the remaining principal desiderata in the
| arctic regions-namely, a line of deep-sea
soundings through the Central Polar ocean
and the delineation of the unknown gap
in the northeast coast line of Greenland
from Cape Morris Jessup to Cape Bismarck.
Anu lnS WOTh CHI De zone IN a single sea-
son.
"As regards the belief expressed by some
that the attainment Of the north pole pos
sesses no value or interest, let say
that should an American first of all men
place the stars and stripes at that coveted
spot, there Is not an American citizen at
home or abroad, and there are millions of
us. but what would feel a little better and
little prouder of being an American, and
just that added Increment of pride and
patriotism to millions would Of itself be
ten times the value Of all the cost Of at
tanning the pole.
Dream Of Centuries Realized.
President Roosevelt. for nearly four CEN
turtles the world dreamed Of the union of
the Atlantic and the Pacific. You have
painted the stars and stripes at Panama
| and insured the realization of that dream
For over three centuries the world has
| dreamed of solving the mystery of the
north. Tonight the stars and stripes stand
nearest to that mystery, pointing and beck
oning. God willing, I hope that your ad-
ministration may yet see those stars and
stripes planted at the pole itself.
For, between those two great logical
cosmic boundaries. Panama to the south
and the north pole to the north, lies the
heritage and the future of that giant whose
destinies you guide today, the United States
of America"
Several speeches were delivered after the
dinner and preceding the principal event Of
the evening.
Baron mayer des Planches, Italian am
bassador, rendered his congratulations on
the achievement of Commander Peary that
had wiped out the records of both Abruzzi
and Nansen. He spoke in kindly terms of
the generous rivalry between the nations
Of the earth for the record Of the farthest
| north, and in replying Commander Peary
was no less generous In giving all the credit
| possible to the Duke of Abruzzi, not only
| for his achievement, but for the example
| he had set to young men of wealth. the
world over who might accomplish some
thing In the worlds work beside resting
| easily on an adequate income and family
name.
Italy's Kind Words Valued.
Commander Peary again arose, and said:
Il deeply value your kindly words Com
ing from the illustrious representative of
| the country which claims Abruzzi and
Cagni. they are are doubly priced
THE fact that such names as Abruzzi,
Cagni. Nansen and Parry are indelibly In
scribed upon the white disc close to the
pole shows conclusively, If anything were