The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-04
Appreciation of Discovery Will Be Shown By Explorers
 Of America
DISTINGUISHED MEN
 WILL HONOR EXPLORER
Dr. Cooks Home-coming Will Be Made One of the Events of the Fulton Celebration in New
 York If He Is in Time.

New York, September S.-America's welcome to Dr. Frederick A. Cook will be made one of the principal events of the Hudson-F'ulton celebration if the explorer can be persuaded to hasten his return so as to reach New York before the end of September. To this end the board of directors of the Explorers club held a meeting. tonight and sent cablegram urging Dr. Cook to be the guest of honor at the clubs Hudson Fulton dinner on September 30. The message was sent to Copenhagen to be delivered when the explorer lands there tomorrow from the Hans Egede. If favorable reply is received. steps will be taken at once to make September 30 Cook Day at the Hudson Fulton cele- bration and substantial fund will be raised to make his welcome home an event corresponding to the unpar- alleled character of his achievement.
 If the plans of the Exporers' club meet with Dr. Cooks approval and the date tentatively set tonight is ap- pointed for the reception, an interna- tional character will be lent to the cele- bration by the presence in New York at that time of several of the most prominent explorers of other countries, who will add their tribute to the of- ficiaI and unofficial ovations of city, state and nation. Among those who have already made plans to be in America at the time of the Hudson Fulton celebratian. 2. .Ia Dr. Eridtjof Nansen, whose memorable north polo expedition of 1893 reached the highest latitude until then attained: Dr. Otto G. Nordenkjol, the Swedish Antarctic ex- plorer and geologist; Capt. Ronald Amuldsen, the hero of the northwest passage, who is fitting out polar ex- petition to start early next year; pr. Stephenson, the Norwegian explorer, and possibly Lieutenant Shackleton, the English naval officer, whose explora- tions in the Antarctic led him to the farthest southern point ever reached by man.
 invitation to Cook.
 The Explorers club tonight voted to invite the Arctic club, of which Dr. Cook was formerly president, to par ticipate in the celebration. The two f clubs number among their members practically every American explorer of note, and their greeting to Dr. Ctsk will constitute about the highest pro fessional" tribute that he could re- ceive.
 Rudolph Francke, the last white man who saw Dr. Cook before his final dash for the pole, added his word of tribute to his friends achievement today.
 Dr. Cook never made a statement he could not prove,' said Francke. Since the day first met Dr. Cook l was inn pressed with his perseverance. He does not know what it means to quit. His strength of purpose is wonderful.
 "When I left Dr. Cook 300 miles from the pole, he was about ready to make his final dash northward. With hickory sledges of his own design, with some of the best trained dogs in the polar region, and with a supply of carefully dried meats and provisions, he was confident of success. Dr. Cook thought 1t best that I should return. He was the com mander of the expedition and I obeyed without hesitation.
 sFrancke,' he said, as we parted on the morning of March 3, am going to take desperate chance and I have decided that 1t would be asking too much to expect you to go with me. l am will ing to risk my life for this idea and I hope to win. I have reason to believe that shall succeed. but if I go down l shall go alone. From that day I have never doubted that he would succeed"
 Word From Mrs. Cook.
 Word was received tonight from Mrs. Cook. who has been spending couple of weeks at South Harpswell, Me. The message was sent from Portland and said that while Mrs. Cook was on her way to her horne in Brooklyn, she would travel by easy stages and would not ar rive in New York before tomorrow or Sunday.
 Attorney General Wickersham issued a formal statement tonight, effectually put ting damper on some of the interviews credited to him concerning the Stars and Stripes floating over newly acquired ter ritory in the polar regions. Said the At torney General:
 "A reporter came to see me at my home last night and asked for my opinion as to the raising of the American flag over the north pole I declined to consider the matter seriously and after some jocu- lar remarks in reply to his questions as to what he could quote me as saying, stated that he could say that I had not given the matter any serious considera- tion.''