Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-24
COOK LAUDS PEARY
But Bars Other Mention of His
Defamer at Arctic Dinner.
PAYS RESPECT TO RIVALS
Bradley, Explorers Backer, Cheered
and Stands Up to Be Seen.
GUEST PRESENTED BY SCHLEY
Speakers Testify to Confidence In
Pole Discoverer-Danish Minister
Present-Mrs. Cook in Box.

NEW YORK. September 24.-The guest
of honor at one Of the largest banquets
ever held in the city. DIR. Frederick A.
Cook, was cheered and acclaimed last
night In the grand ballroom Of the Wal
dorf- Astoria as the first man to discover
the north pole and one of the world 8
heroes.
Scientists and politicians, naval officers
and plain laymen joined in the notable
tribute. and fully 1000 men and women
sang For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" and
gave him the chautauqua salute. while
the explorer sat smiling up at his wife.
who occupied the center box Of the gall
lery
The name Of Robert E. Peary was not
mentioned throughout the dinner by any
of those who spoke in Dr. Cooks honor.
At the outset Acting Mayor MCGOWAN
confessed that DR.. Cook had laid an In
junction on him that the name Of "a
rival explorer should not be brought into
the after-dinner speeches in any way.
While this was a disappointment to
those who hoped to hear some denuncia-
ton of Peary's attitude toward Cook, the
object was readily appreciated and the
diners agreed that the embargo on .Peary' s
determination to do no mudslinging and to
permit none in his behalf.
Honor for All, Cook Says.
Dr. Cook himself violated the rule, but
it was merely to mingle the name of
Peary with those of several other polar
explorers in connection with the
phrase: There is honor enough for all. +"
On the menu was a list of the farthest
norths achieved by various explorers, the
last two being the discovery of the pole
in 1908 by Cook and the attainment OF
the same geographical point in 1909 by
Peary.
Rear Admiral Winfield Scott Schley
president of the Arctic Club. under
| whose auspices the dinner was given
presided. He introduced DR.. Cook, the
last speaker of the evening, in a short
speech, in which he declared that the
success of DR.. Cook had been challenged
by "the envy that often proceeds IRON
1T was regrettable, Admiral Schley OBJ
served, that there should have arisen
any envy over an achievement which
was full of glory for both men.
Our guests splendid behavior" con-
tinued the admiral, and here the audi
ence drowned him with applause, under
these trying circumstances. had attracted
the admiration of his countrymen and
added hosts to his many friends.
A
lieve that both men reached the pole
added Schley, "and they both expert
enced the same hardships and cheerfully
endured the same privations with forti-
tude. They deserve equal credit. and be-
lieve they both reached there because
they are made OF the material that does
not retire in the face Of danger.
''All honor to them both, but 1t gives me
the greatest honor and pleasure of my
life to introduce to you tonight the man
who first discovered the north pole, FRED
erick Albert Cook"
The crowd-1 1S5 diners and fully 800 In
the boxes-jumped to their feet ana oesan
a storm Of cheers that lasted for 1ully a
minute and half. Then they sang and
waved their napkins or handkerchiefs for
another two minutes or more. Through
it all Cook stood bowling and smiling,
looking up at his wife and then glanclng
round at the exuberant crowd. AS soon
as he could make himself heard he began
his speech with uplifted hand.
DR.. Cook said:
DR.. Cooks Speech.
president Schley. Ladies and Gentle
men:
This is one Of the highest honors 1
ever hope to receive. You represent most
Of the frigid explorers of Europe and
nearly all Of the arctic explorers IN Amer
lea. Your wecome is the explorers guar
antee to the world-coming as 1T does
from felloW-Workers, from men who know
and have gone through the same expert
ence-is an appreciation and victory,
the highest which could fall to the lot Of
any returning traveller.
'"The key to frigid endeavor is SUBJ
sistence. There is nothing in the en-
tire realm of the arctic which is i'm
possible to man. If the animal fires are
supplied with adequate fuel there Is no
cold too severe and no obstacle too great
to surmount. No important expedition
has ever returned because of unscalable
barriers OF impossible weather. The ex-
hausted food supply resulting from linn
tied means of transportation has turned
every aspirant from his goal.
This problem Is a large one-too large
and too complex to examine at this time.
In the ages of the polar quest much has
been tried and much has been learned
The most important lesson Is that civil
lied man. If he will succeed. must bend
to the savage simplicity necessary. The
problem belongs to modern man, but Tor
its execution we must begin with the food
and the means of transportation OF rhe
wild man. Even this must be reduced and
simplified to fit the new environment.
Not a Matter Of Endurance.
with due respect to the compliment
ary eloouenoe of the chairman and 9TH
ers, candor compels me to say that the
physical endurance. nor is it fair to call
it bravery. but a proper understanding of
the needs of the stomach and knoWl-
odge OF the limits of the brute force OF
the motive power, be that man or beast.
Our conquest was only possible with
the accumulated lessons Of early ages OF
experience The failures of our less sue
cessful predecessors were stepping stones
to ultimate success.
"The real pathfinders of the pole were
the early Danish, the Dutch the English
and the Morse, Italian and American ex-
plorers. With these worthy forerunners
we must. therefore, share the Sood 1fuits
which your chairman has put into my
basket. ,s
"A similar obligation is due to the wild
man. The twin families Of wild folk. the
Eskimo and the Indian, were lmportahI
factors to us. The use of pemmican and
CONTINUED on Thirteenth Page)