The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-10-02
COOK DECLINES TO
SUBMIT PROOFS
At HOME
Insists That They Must First Go
To Copenhagen.
NO BOARD TO DECIDE
Peary Was Willing to Submit His
Data and Cook at First Agreed
But Later Refused

washington, OcL. l.-ln view OF tne
polar controversy, the Board of Di-
rectors of the National Geographic
Society today held special meeting
to determine the attitude it should as
sumo toward DR.. Frederick A. Cook
upon the occasion of his visit here
next Sunday, when he will deliver
/ lecture ON mis- arctic experiences. The
decision was reached that DR. Cook,
under the circumstances, could not be
recognized in an official way
The conclusions of the board were
stated in an announcement by Prof.
! Willis L. Moore, President of the
society, in which II was urged that
bo,h Commander Peary and DR.. Cook
lose no time in submitting their OBJ
servations. notes, and data TO com
petent scientific commission in the
United States
Prof. Moore said he did not feel
that he could dissociate himself sur
dent of the society to call upon Dr.
Cook or to introduce him to any aud
fence while in this city He could not
40 SO, he said, until the Board of
Managers OF the society had taken
action upon DR.. Cooks claim OF hay
ing reached the north pole.
Mr.. Moore will maintain the same
attitude toward Commander Peary as
toward DR.. Cook He will treat both
claimants exactly alike until &C ion
by the society has settled the dispute
that has arisen between them,
Cooks Refusal Blocks Way.
Or. Cooks refual to submit his OBJ
servation. notes. and other data at
once to competent American scienti-
fic commission is all that stands in
the way OF compliance with the sug-
gestion of the National Geographic
Society today that such a step on the
part Of both Cook and Peary should
precede any official recognition of the
explorers claims.
Correspondence made public here
tonight shows that Commander Peary
has already formally signified his will
lingness to comply with this condition
but Dr. Cook, in a letter to Archer
Huntington, President of the Ameri- \
can Geographical Society, has declar-
ed that he will continue in his deter
mination to lay all his records and it,
struments first before the University
of Copenhagen. after that" DR.
Cook says, the proof will be sent to
all geographical societies in the world
simultaneously"
According to the announcement
made here tonight, Prof. Ira Remsen,
President of Johns Hopkins Universe
ty, was asked several days ago by
Henry f. Osborn, President of the
American Museum of Natural History
and by Mr.. Huntington to appoint in
his official capacity as President of
the National Academy OF Sciences. a
committee of astronomers. geograp-
hers, and biologists, to whom the rec
ords of Peary and Cook should be sub
mitted DR.. Remsen, in reply, tele-
gTaphed as follows:
1t would be idle for me to appoint a
committee to investigate the north |
pole problem unless it were clearly |
understood that Commander Peary |
and DR.. Cook are willing to submit !
their evidence to such a committee. |
If they are willing to do so shall not |
hesitate to appoint such committee |
as you suggest.
Peary Willing and DESTROYS.
Mr. Osborn at once took steps to |
obtain the consent of Peary and Cook
He received the following dispatch
from Gen. Thomas H. Hubbard in be-
half of Commander Peary
Peary willing and DESTROYS to sub
init all his records and data to Ma
tional Academy committee or other
uorffoll,, en1o,t,J
DR.. Cook at first fell in with the
suggestion, which was put before him
by Mr.. Huntington. He agreed with
Mr.. Huntington that there could be
no better person to call together a
number of scientists that Prof. Rem
sen, but later reconsdered the matter
and sent the following to Mr. Hunt
ington:
In bordering over the problems
which you were kind enough to pre-
sent to me at your visit yesterday, it
appears to be an injustice to the
Danes to consent to the appointment
of another Board of Examiners after
| had definitely agreed to submit my
first to the University OF
l therefore ask your
for a few months and fol-
lowing the Danish investigation, the
record will be sent to all the geograp-
heal societies of the world, after
which it becomes public property. 1
appreciate the good offices of the
American Geographical Society," the
fair and friendly attitude of its Presi-
dent and its members and will
promise that they will have an early
to go over the entire data
Of my polar conquest"