Omaha daily bee., 1909-11-05
GE0GRAPHERs MAKE REQUEST
Society Asks office to Cable Minister
Egan for Aid.
WANT TO SEE DR.. COOKS DATA
Would Bring Pressure to Bear. on
University of Copenhagen.
COMMITTEE GOES TO DENMARK
state Department VIII Take No
Action, because il Might he Con-
strued official Endorsement
of Peary's Claims.
WANT TO SEE DR.. COOKS DATA
COMMITTEE GOES TO DENMARK

WASHINGTON, Nov. 4.-Refusing to be
drawn into the Cook-Peary North pole
controversy, the State department today
declined a request that 1t cable American
Minister Egan to Copenhagen, to request
of the University of Copenhagen permis-
sion to examine the records of DR. Fred
erick A. Cook when they are submitted
to that institution.
The request was made by a delegation
from the National Geographic society,
which viii appoint a committee to visit
the foremost Danish scientific institution
to which DR.. Cook is to submit his rec
ords. The desire to have the request for
permission to inspect the records go
through the official channels was made
at a conference between Assistant Secre-
tary Of State Huntington Wilson and
Messrs Gannett, the governments chief
geographer; 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 Geographic So
ciety.
why Request Was Made.
The request was made on the ground
that the examination would be by scien-
lists of attainments particularly valuable
to the adjustment of the polar problem.
Every effort was made to surround the
delegations visit with a veil of mystery,
one Of the members even denying his
Identity when approached by a newspaper
reporter,
The department took the request under
advisement and later decided 1t could not
accede to It, 1t was felt that such action
would constitute official recognition of
nd
that any unusual action on it's part might
be interpreted as an Endorsement of the
claim of one or the other of the two ex-
plorers as to priority of discovery of the
pole. The department has ntfied Secretary
| Grosvenor of the society of it's attitude
| The members of the committee which
will go to Copenhagen for the Geographic
society VIII be provided with the usual
letters of introduction from the State de-
| partment to American diplomatic officers
abroad, asking that the committee be given
all courtesies or assistance possible con-
sistent with the official duties OF the dip.
lomatic representatives. Letters of this
character are frequently issued to citizens
Of the United States travelling abroad.
VIII Ask Cook for Data.
Determined effort will be made by the
committee to secure the Cook Data. DR.
Cook will be afforded every opportunity t
place his records or any information bear
ing upon the trip before the committee
which son after its appointment viii com
municate with him directly. This com
mittee will advise DR.. Cook of the recen
action of the socety's board of managers
in awarding a gold medal to Peary and
medal to Captain Bartlett, who navlgateC
Peary's ship to the far north and back
and of its virtually marking time" as t
other polar claims pending investigation
and research. 1t will advise him of thu
committees desire to have any data IN
may be willing to present.