The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-12-22
Intrepid Naval officer Had Fol
lowed the North Star for
Twenty-three Years and Was
Bound to Win in the End.
VERY MUCH PLEASED
WITH DEVELOPMENTS
Commander Declined to Talk
Concerning Polar Regions,
But Repeated His Note of
Warning From Labrador
GOLD BRICK FOR PUBLIC

Washington, Dec. 21.-"Three
months ago from the Labrador coast
I sounded an explicit and deliberately
wOTded warning to the world, based
upon complete and accurate infoTma-
ton in regard to the Cook claims. In
doing so, I accepted the responsibility
deVolving upon me and fulfilled my
duty to myself and to the world"
With these words, Commander Rob
ert E. Peary today pOintedly ex-
pressed his sentiments regarding the
failure Of the University of Copen-
hagen to find any proof of the diseov-
cry Of the north pole by DR.. Cook.
In his apartments on Columbia road,
Commander Peary received an Assoc
ciated Press representative, who appraised
him of the decision OF the Denmark sci
entists against Dr. Cook. Not so much
as a suspicion of a smile illumined his
stern face, but his eyes lighted up with
the welcome knowledge Of a vindicatlon
which had come to him after difficult
trials.
81 have known the outcome Of this
since weeks before I reached this cOun-
lry on me- return from the pole, be
said ''It was not matter of belief with
me, but of absolute knowledge.
However / shall not discuss this mat
ter in detail for publication. It is not
necessary.
'eThe warning which I sent to this
country before landed is still sufficient.
You remember my cablegram from Bat
tie HarbOT. Here is the exact wording
of it: Cook has not been to the pole
April n. 1908, or at any other date. He
has simply handed the public a gold
brick
Would Not Say Further.
With this. Commander Peary declined
further to discuss DR.. Cook or his affairs,
and Ii was evident that ne regarded the
controversy as ended. He declined to
say whether he considered it possible for
DIT. Cook to proceed further in present
ing additional evidence or in submitting
his data to other courts of authority.
My friends may consider this Geci-
sion a complete VindiCatiOn of their at
titude on this whole subject, but as for
me- I don't care to comment said Mr..
Peary in conclusion.
Washington, Dec. H.-Professor Willis
L. Moore, president of the National Geo
graphic society, which, through a COM
mittee of the body is conducting an in
vestigation into the discovery Of the
North pole, said today:
'Our own committee will continue its
work so that its report may be complete
and contain a full history of the dis
covery OF the pole.
81 presume that neither the University
of Copenhagen nor DR.. Cook now will
have any objections to our committee
examining the original records, and I
anticipate the committee will still desire
TO go to Copenhagen for the purpose of
making that examination,
'The committee is acting under the
authority of the board Of managers Of
the National Geographic society, which
permits it to use its own discretion; but
as it cannot make its report entirely COM
Dlete without seeing these records, it is
reasonable to assume the committee viii
go abroad for that purpose.
Necessary to Go Abroad,
"Our committees examination of DR..
Cooks records doubtless would confirm
the findings of the University Of COpen-
hagen, and would In no sense be an im-
ueachment of that univarsity's examining
board: but under the rules of our so
ciety, it is necessary that the original
records shall Re examined by its inves-
tigating committee, in order that the so
ciety's findings shall in every sense be
aThe result shows that Commander
Pearv was correct from the start when
he said nobody should take DR.. Cook
seriously, and that the only authentic
records Of his trip we're those made by
the Esquimaux- which are confirmed i'm
every feature by the account and the
pictures published in the New York Har-
aid" said Admiral Chester today. "Tha
pictures that DR.. Cook claims were taken
$40 miles from land show that they were
taken with land all around them"