Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-09-24
ARCTIC CLUB HEARS COOK.
Explorer Tells Friends He Turned Saw
aoa TO Accom- nIiah His Purnosa. Z

New York, Sept. 24-Cheered by
thousand men and women as he enter
ed the banquet hall on the arm of Rear
Admiral Winfield Scott Schley, U. S.
NJ, (retired), DIR. Frederick A. Cook
told his story last night before the most
brilliant audience that he has address,
ed since he left the court Of Denmark.
The banquet was given by the Arctic
Club Of America, of which Dr. Cook Is
a member, in recognition OF his last
polar venture, which eliminated in his
announcement that he had reached the
north pole. Crowded in the great ball
room Of the Waldorf-Astoria, they
toasted the Brooklyn explorer and lis
tened attentively to his recital in the
form Of an after dinner address. DIR.
Cook said:
"This is one Of the highest honors
ever hope to receive. You represent
most Of the explorers of Europe and
nearly all Of the arctic explorers in
America. Your welcome is the explor-
er's guarantee to the world, coming as
it does from fellow workers. from men
who know and have gone thru the
same experience-it Is an appreciation
and a victory the highest which could
fall to any returning explorer.
The key to frigid endeavor is sub
sistence. There is nothing in the en-
tire realm of the arctic which is i'm
possible to man. II the animal fires are
supplied with adequate fuel there is no
cold too severe and no obstacle too
great to surmount. No important ex-
pedition has ever returned because of
unscalable barriers or impossible
weather. The exhausted food supply
transportation has turned every aspir-
ant from his goal. In the ages of the
polar exploration much has been learn
ed. Much of the lesson is that civilized
man, u he will succeed, must bend to
the savage. The problem belongs to
modern man, but for Its execution we
transportation OF the wild man. Even
this must be reduced and simplified to
At the new environment.
with due respect to the compli-
mentary eloquence Of the chairman and
others, candor compels me to say that
the effort Of reaching the pole is not
one OF physical endurance. nor is it
fair to call 1t bravery. but proper un-
ach and = knowledge of the limits of
or beast.
Our conquest was only possible with
the accumulated lessons OF earlier ages
Of experience. The failure Of our less
successful predecessors were stepping
stones to ultimate success. The dead
pathfinders Of the pole were the early
Danish, the Dutch, the English and the
Morse, italian and American explorers.
With these worthy forerunners we
must therefore share the good fruits
which your chairman has put into my
basket.
"a similar obligation is due to the
wild man. The twin families Of wild
folk, the Eskimo and the Indian, were
important factors to us. The use of
pemmican and the snowshoe which
makes the penetration of the arctic
barely possible. have been borrowed
from the Indians. The attempt to reach
the pole without the aid OF Eskimo,
would be hopeless task. To savage
man therefore, who has no flag, we are
bound to give part Of this fruit.
ITO John r. Bradley. the man who
paid the bills. belongs at least one-half
this fruit.
The Canadian government sent its
expeolLlon out OF It's course to help us
to it. gladly pass the basket. In re-
turning, shriveled skin and withered
muscles were filled out at the expense
of Danish hospitality. And last but not
least-the reception with open arms by
fellow explorers-to you and to all, be-
longs this basket of good things which
the chairman has placed on my should
ers.
Nothing would suit me better than
to tell You tonight the complete story
OF our quest, but the very first tele-
gram gives more specific data than I
could hope to tell you in an after dim
ner address. Therefore. shall devote
the allotted time to an elucidation Of
certain phases of our adventure
"One OF the most remarkable charges
brought out = that l did not seek q