The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-09-24
GLORY ENOUGH FOR AL N
The EXPLOITS N FAR NORTH
Modest Speech Before Arctic Club Of
America Conyineed DR.. Cooks Hear.
ers q Genuinsnsss Of His Discovery
andsK Suitability Of Reports.

toria last night. Following a speech
by the president of the club, which
was both laudatory personally and
commendatory scientifically. DR.. Cook
delivered a frank and earnest speech
which convinced his hearers of the
high character Of the man and the
reliability Of his claims.
DIR. Cook said:
This is one Of the highest honors
ever nope to receive. You represent
most of the frigid explorers Of Europe
ana nearly all Of the Arctic explorers
IN America. Your welcome is the ex-
plorer's guarantee to the world
coming as It does, from fellow work
ers. from men who know and have
gone through the same experience-it
is an appreciation and victory the
highest which could fall to the lot Of
any returning traveller.
Food Supply Essential.
The key tosfrtgid 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 import
ant expedition has ever returned be-
cause OF unscalable barriers or Inn
possible weather. eThe exhausted food
supply resulting from a limited means
OF transportation has turned every as
l.pirant from his goal. In the ages Of
the polar quest much has bean tried
and much has been learned. The
most important lesson is that civilized
man II ne Will succeed. must bend to
the savage simplicity necessary. The
problem belongs to modern man, but
lor its execution we must begin with
the food and the means of transporta-
ton OF the wild man. Even this must
be reduced and simplified to At the
new environment. With due respect
to the complimentary eloquence Of
the chairman and others, candor COM
pels me to say that the effort of get
ting to the pole is not. one Of physi-
cal endurance, nor is 1t fair to call It
bravery; but q proper understanding
OF the needs of the stomach and a
knowledge Of the limits of the brute
force Of the motive power, be that
man or beast.
Our conquest was only possible
with the accumulated lessons of early
ages Of experience. The failures of
our less successful predecessors were
stepping stones to ultimate success.
The real pathfinders of the pole were
the early Danish. the Dutch the Eng
lish, and the Morse. Italian and
American explorers. With these
worthy forerunners we must there
fore share the good fruits which your
chairman has put into my basket.
Credit to Eskimos.
"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
mystery barely possible, has been
borrowed from the American Indian.
The method Of travel, the motor force
and the native ingenuity, without
which the polar quest would be a
hopeless task. have been taken from
the Eskimo. To savage man, there.
fore. who has no nag, we are bound to
give part of this fruit.
ITO John r. Bradley. the man who
paid the bills-belongs at least one
half Of this. fruit.
The Canadian government sent it's
expedition under Capt. Bernier. one
thousand miles out Of it's course to
help US to 1t. gladly pass the bask-
ct. In returning, shrlvelled 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, belongs this basket
of good things which the chairman
has placed on my shoulder.
Nothing would suit me better than
to tell you today. 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
dinner address. Therefore, I shall de-
vote the allotment. OF time to an
elucidation Of certain phases Of our
adventure.
No Loud Noise.
Zone Of the most remarkable
charges brought out is that I did not
seek geographic license to start for
the pole. Now. gentlemen, to the
large public that may be q mystery.
but You. who know will appreciate
that no explorer can start and sav
that he will reach tho pole. Many
good men have tried before and. faii-
ed All who understand the problem
know that Succeas II but barely ,poe-
4}hlA vhAn AvAfpv N0nnolvahI> os.G.--a'