The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-24
DIR, COOK IS R0N0RtD
 BY EMINENT MEN
tcoNTINuED FROM PAGE 11

antee to the world-comlng as It does, from fellow workers, from men Who Know and have gone through the same experience--tt is an appreciation ana d victory, the highest which could lall to the lot of any returning traveler
 The key to frigid endeaYor is subsis- tence, There is nothing in the entire realm of the Arctic which is impossible to man. If the animal fires are supplied with adequate fuel there Is no cold too severe and no obstacle too great to sur mount. No important expedition has ever returned because of unscalable barriers or impossible weather. The exhausted food supply resulting from limited means of Transportation has turned every aspirant from his goal. In the ages of the polar ,il.esl much has been tried and much has been learned. The most important lesson is thl. civilized man, if he will succeed must bend to the savage simplicity neces- sary The problem belongs to modern man. but for it's execution We must begin with the food and the means of transpor- tation Of the wild man. Even this must be reduced and simplified to fit the new ervil oI.ment.
 With due respect to the complimentary eloouence of the chairman and others, cardor compels me to say that the eff fort of getting to the pole is not one of physical endurance, nor is it fair to eal it bravery; but proper understand ing of the needs of the stomach and knowledge of the limits of the brute force of the motive power, be that man or beast.
 Lessons of Experience.
 Our conquest was only possible with the accumulated lessons of previous experi- ence Tte failure of our less successful
 cfn tn l. mate success. The real pathfinders to the pole were the early Danish, the Dutch. the English and the Morse, Italian and Nneiioau explorers. With these worthy forerunrers we must therefore share the good fruit which your chairman has put iuto my basket.
 "A similar obligation is due to the wild man. The twin families of wild folk. the Iskilnos and Indians, were important fac tors to us. The use of pemmcan and the sncw shoe, which makes the penetra- ton 5f the Arctic mystery barely pos sihle. has been borrowed from the Amer jean Indian. The method of travel, the motor force and the native ingenuity, without which the polar quest would be hopeless task, have been taken from the Eskimo. To the savage man, therefore, who has no flag, we are bound to give part Of this fruit.
 10 JoDn ff. BTdulty. lHt llitu Wiio pdiu the bills belongs at least one-half of this fruit.
 ''-Tl,e Canad dian government sent it's ex- pcdition under Captain Bernier 1000 miles out of its course to help us to it. I gladly pass the basket.
 Tn returning. shriveled skin and with cred n.rsoles were filled out at the ex- psnsc cs Danish hospitality.
 Pieasinq Reception.
 And last, but not least. the reception with open arms by fellow explorers. to you and to all, belongs this basket of good things which the chairman has placed on my shoulders.
 Nothing would suit me better than to tell you tonight the complete story of our ul est the briefest telegram gives more specific data than I could hope to tell you in an after-dinner address Therefore, l shall devote the allotted time to an eluci- de ton of certain phases of our adventure.
 "One of the most remarkable charges brought out is that I did not seek a geo. graphic license to start for the pole. Now, gentlemen. to the public at large that may be mystery, but you who know will appreciate that no explorer can start and say that he will reach the pole. Many good men have tried before all have failed All who understand the problem know that success is but barely possible when every conceivable circumstance is favorable It is only necessary to make announcement that an expedition embarks