Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-11-05
GE0GRAPHERS
PLAN VISIT To
COPENHAGEN
NATIONAL SOCIETY WILL
EXAMINE COOK RECORDS
Government Declines to be
Drawn Into Polar Controversy
by According Official Recog-
milton TO Committee,
tsy Morning Journal speciar Leased wirel

TBy Morning Journal speciar Leased Wirel
Washington, Nov 4.-Refusing to
be drawn into the Cook Peary con-
troversv. the state department today
declined a request that it cable Amer
lean Minister Egan at Copenhagen to
request of the University of Copen-
hagen permission to examine the rec
ords of DR.. Frederick A. Cook when
they are submitted to that institution.
The request was made by delega-
ton from the National Geographic So
ciey which will appoint committee
to visit the foremost Danish scientific
institution to which DR.. Cook is to
submit his records. The desire to
have the request go through the Off
cial channels was made at conferences
between Assistant Secretary of State
Huntington Wilson and Messrs. Gan
nett, the governments chief geogra-
pher; Edison, former president of the
board of trade of Washington; Gros-
venor editor of the official organ of
the society; Gore and Colville, all
prominent members of the National
Geogra chic society.
The req. st was made on the
ground that the examination would be
made by scientists of attainments par
tlcularly valuable in the adjustment of
the polar problem
The department took the request
under advisement and later decided
il could not accede to it. 1t was felt
such action would constitute official
recognition of Commander Peary as
against Dr. Cook; that any unusual
action on its part might be Interpreted
as an Endorsement of the claim of one
or the other of the two explorers as
to priority of discovery of the pole.
The members of the committee who
will 20. to Copenhagen for the Geo
grasni1 sueiety. will be provided with
the usual letters of Introduction from
the state department to the American
diplomatic officers abroad, asking that
the committee be given all eourtesies
or assistance consistent with the Of
fetal duties of the diplomatic depart
ment. Letters Of this character are
frequently issued to citizens travelling
abroad
Determined effort will be made by
the committee to secure the Cook
data. DIR. Cook will be afforded every
opportunity to place his records or
any information bearing on the trip
by the committee, which soon after its
appointment will communicate with
him directly. This committee will adj
wise DIR. Cook of the recent action of
the society's board of managers in
awarding a gold medal to Peary and
a medal to Captain Bartlett, who nav
igated Peary's ship to the far north
and back, and of its virtually mark
ing time" as to other polar claims
pending investigation and research.
1t will advise him of the commit
tees desires to have any data he may
be willing to present
A cablegram signed by Professor
Willis l.. Moore was sent tonight TO
the University of Copenhagen, an
nounoing that 1t is about to send rep
resentatives to Copenhagen and re-
questing that they be given the cour-
tesy OF attending the official eXamina-
ton of DR.. Cooks papers.
The National Geographic society, it
was said tonight. stands ready to
honor DIR. Cook with a medal similar
~ SiiN oht tOiiltiTtu upon tonlliltUu-
er Peary il he can prove as clearly
as the latter did that he reached the
North pole.
The three representatives who will
proceed to Copenhagen will be select
ed from the following committee,
which was appointed tonight to in
Vestigate whether or not any one
reached the pole prior to 1909:
Henry Gannett, chief geographer of
the United States geological survey;
Rear Admiral c. NJ. Chester. L. s ~,
retired; O. p. .Tittman. superintendent
OF the United States coast and geo.
detic surveys, and Professor Howard
Gore, noted mathematician. who has
made expeditions to the Arctic re-
gion. This committee will report to
the board of managers of the National
Geographic society.