Evening star., 1909-09-12
PRO AND CON OF ROW
Cook Credited in Copenhagen,
But London SkeptlcaI.
PERSONALITY GAINS BELIEF
scandinavian Travellers Convinced by
Talks With Explorers.
REASONS WEIGHED IN BALANCE
George Brandes Converted to Faith
in Claims-Why Englishmen
Withhold Confidence.

Withhold Confidence.
| Special Cablegram to The Star.
LONDON, September 11.-This morning
| in London, thirty-two hours ago In CO.
| penhagen.
1t is not a long journey from the point
Of view of time and space. Reckoned In
another way, the two spots are as far
as the poles asunder. The hackneyed ex-
preston comes pat for in both cities the
north pole dominates mems minds and
talk.
But those thirty-two hours make all the
difference from an atmosphere of absolute
faith to one which it would be inadequate
to call fog of merely doubt. Ten hours
would have been ample to appreciate that
and to realize, moreover, that Scandina-
via alone seemed to enjoy the clear air
of faith.
Scandinavia, where traditions of polar
travel form part of the whole popula-
tion's natural makeup, believes that both
Peary and Cook reached the pole. The
rest of the world, generally speaking,
seems to give complete credence to Peary
alone.
Peary Never Discredited.
The first short statement that Peary
had reached the pole unsupported by any
fuller story, was accepted Immediately
| in Scandinavia by every one, from such
| men as Cook himself. Sverdrup, Amund-
| sen and others Of fame and repute only
| less than theirs. to the boys in the street
| 1t was the same apparently in the rest of
Europe and In England, which still re-
fuses to place confidence in Cook.
1t must not be forgotten that eight of
Europe's national geographical societies
telegraphed congratulations to Cook, and
| that those of Brussels and Berlin asked
| him to address them. But popular opin-
| ion seems to stand aloof.
| Why? In America one gathers that the
| Mount Mckinley episode told heavily
from the start against Cook But here
Mount Mckinley and the story of Cook
| ascent Of it were unknown to the general
public.
Peary has borne an honored name in
connection with the pole for a genera
| ton. He. was not in mems minds. how
ever. when the first short statement con-
corning Cook was made known.
Leaving America out of the argument
for the moment. can it be that the fact
that Cook was unknown or practically
unknown to the public here prevented
the belief in him which was given at
once to the famous Peary on at first
equally slight proof? 1t may be SO. But
can that be called logical2
Then one is forced, seeking to maintain
the impar rtial attitude of just Judge, to
ask to what extent Cooks personality
influenced the leaders OF opinion in Den
| mark. 1t is undoubtedly great. IS.
Would it have had similar effect In
London or New York If he had gone to
either place hot-foot from the outskirts
of civilization?
Cook Wins Those He Talks With.
Copenhagen dispatches from various
pens must have given an idea of how
great the mans personal magnetism is.
Here Is another example:
George Brandes went to Copenhagen
last Sunday for the express purpose of
| sizing up Cook. Brandes set forth
confessed skeptic.
This is what the noted psychologist
| writes in the Vienna Neue Freie Presse
after meeting and talking witt, Cook:
1T was impossible to see by his looks
that he had gone through SO many hard
ships. His face was full, his skin clear
and his cheeks round and rosy. He is
built sturdily without the athletic build
of Nansen. is OF medium size and broad
shouldered.
| He has smooth. brown hair, which
| frames face in which blue, smiling,
candid eyes dominate everything. His
manner is one of perfect simplicity.
His good fortune has not gone to his
| head He is not only simple, but even
| shy in his disposition
| This does not sound like description
of a monumental liar
| There Is another interesting point which
seems to have appealed to Brandes.
couple OF weeks ago an interview with
Brandes was sent to the Sun. in which
the famous writer simultaneously re-
| marked that in spite of his fame the
Ltv,0l 0lfct, trn ,-1n tAr,r nch T. Il
bring more than $40 yearly.
1t may be assumed that it is with feel
ing that Brandes said:
1T may be hoped for his sake that
Cooks success will be source of wealth
| to him. Only he has got to learn to be
business man now. For his first tele-
gram he received by cable 5000 with
the words. never have I paid remunera-
| ton with greater pleasure but imme-
diately afterward he received an offer of
$4,000 for his first message.
This little experience, by which he
loses $27 900. has made Cook more eau
| tious. He is refusing to make deal
with any one about his book until he
first thinks the matter over WELL"
Cook has since signed a contract for
his book But his whole conduct in this
matter. as suggested by Brandes and de-
scribed by friends with whom he dis
| c,issed the subject. goes to show that
money is not a powerful influence.
Weight Of Amundsen's Opinion.
But sentiment inspired by the mans
personality may be objected to as a valid
reason for believing him. On the other
hand. some value should be attached to
Amundsen's thoughtfully given state
ment that Cooks story, given at length
WIN ms map between them. was suffi-
clent to convince him as a polar expert,
apart from all question of personal affec-
| ton.
Confidence, one might think, in such a
declaration by a man like Amundsen
would weigh as much with the ordinary
layman as those scientific details which
| he could not understand and which Cook
refuses to give. 1t is to this point one is
constantly brought in trying honestly to
PROBE the question ceaselessly pondered
over for the past ten DAYS
! Almost the first thing Cook said after
the news was received from Peary was.
His experience will corroborate mine
very SOON"
| The next day came Peary's corrobora-
tion Of the possibility of quicker travelling
than even Cook did. and also of his state-
ment that there was no land at the pole.
Today. after reading the second part of
that he, too, seems not to have had a
white man with him at the pole.
These points have been chiefly used by
the general public against Cook. They
now seem to have been disposed of, but
belief is not yet born.
1t seems that Englishmen. for whom in
the main 1t may be said that polar ex-
ploration meant exciting stories of adven-
ture and peril. boggle at the withholding
who are race Of polar travellers. are
uQif