Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-28
PEARY'S DISGRACE

7 F anything further were needed to
demonstrate the inexpressible lit
a tIeness of character of Commander
Peary, it has been furnished in his ad-
mission that he refused to transport
upon the Roosevelt the boxes of in
struments. data, ETC., left with Mr..
Harry Whitney by DR.. Cook.
1t would appear that Commander
Peary, or at least some of his party,
We're not above helping themselves to
Dr. Cooks supplies which lie had left
for the purpose of furnishing himself
and bis associates in his successful
search for the pole with sustenance
necessary to sustain life upon their
return from their terrible journey.
Notwithstanding this. however, Com
mander Peary (who, upon the case
which he makes out himself appears
to be anything but an honor to the
flag that he is supposed to serve and
the service of which he is an officer)
refused to transport to civilization cer-
tain instruments and data which are
doubtless of great scientific value, sim
ply because these instruments and
data happen to belong to a man whom
he, in his littleness of makeup, regard
ed as a rival for the honor of first dis
coverer of the north pole.
The reading public had no doubt ere
this unanimously made up its mind
that in the department which has
characterized these two men since the
question Of priority in the discovery of
the north pole was raised between
them. DR.. Cook in dignity, fairness and
self-restraint has had all the advan-
tage over his would-be rival.
In his actions toward his rival Com
mander Peary has not only disgraced
the service that numbers him among
it's officers, but he has also disgraced
American manhood.
In his coarse and brutal utterances
concerning his rival Commander
Peary has shown himself to be pos
sessed more of the character of a Bow
cry hoodlum than of an officer and
gentleman.
For years past Commander Peary
tion for maladroitness, to put it very
mildly, which has accumulated for him
the enmity-or at least the dislike-of
those with whom he has been brought
most intimately in contact. 1t is a
common saying about New York that
Peary once will ever sail with him
again.
His selfish actions toward one of the
Danish explorers years ago were such
as to earn for himself the Ill will of
the Danish people, and that fact no
doubt to some extent explains the
warmth with which they have cham
pioned the cause of DR.. Cook.
However that may be, it is very GER
tain that his undignified and unchival-
ric course and offensive actions and
utterances with reference to DR.. Cook
have within the past month converted
the best people of this country-and,
indeed, of the civilized world-into
friends of his rival and anything but
well wishers for himself.
1t is a great pity that something can
not be done to rid the United States
navy of man who is so utterly lack
ing in the most elemental traits of
manliness and soldierly chivalry as to
have permitted him to act toward DR..
Cook as he did in refusing to transport
to civilization the scientific instru-
ments and data which DIR. Cook left
with Mr.. Whitney in order to insure
their reaching his country in a condi-
tion to be of use to the scientific world.
Commander Pearys actions in this
matter irresistibly suggest the idea
that he probably felt that the instru-
ments and data which he refused to
transport to civilization would be of
great value in refuting the claim
which he was so clamorously making
of having been the first man to reach
the pole and in establishing DR.. Cooks
claim to that honor.
And the idea further irresistibly sug-
gests itself that If Commander Peary's