Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-04
PROOFS OR NO GLORY
Withholding of Peary's Record
Provokes Congressman.
MACON DEMANDS FACTS
Will Not "Legislate in Dark"
Friends of Explorer Refuse Thus
to Qualify Him for Honors.


Friends of Explorer Refuse Thus
to Qualify Him for Honors.
There was a hot time today before the
subcommittee OF the ouse committee on
naval affairs which is considering the
proposition to reward Civil Engineer
Peary for his arctic explorations.
After Mr.. Peary's friends had declined
to submit the explorers proofs that he
had reached the north pole to the sub
committee. and Representative Macon OF
Arkansas had left in a hun, denouncipg
Peary and declaring he did not propose
Ito legislate in the dark" the meeting
broke up In great disorder.
Honors Wait on Proof.
The situation with respect to the Peary
reward proposition is now left in this in
teresting condition. as one member OF the
committee explained It:
IF Mr.. Peary does not appear before
the committee and hand over his records.
all bills proposing to reward him will be
pigeonholed and no further action taken
in the matter
IF he does appear With his records the
data will probably be published in the
form of a congressional document and
submitted TO dis1nterested scientists for
report. Not until then will any bill pro-
posing to reward Mr.. Peary be taken
up"
Mr.. Macon. a member OF the subcom-
mittee. declares he will expose the whole
business" either upon the floor of the
House or by means of signed state
ment issued to the press. IL the subcom-
mittee dares to take any action without
first having Peary's proofs passed upon.
Pitman Says Peary Would Not.
Todays meeting of the subcommittee
was called in order that Prof Gannett Of
the geological survey and Supt. Pitman
of the coast and geodetic survey, two
OF the members Of the board of the Ma
tional Geographic Society which found.
officially. that Peary reached the pole.
might tell how they arrived at that con-
cluSion.
Supt. Pitman had to go somewhere else.
Prof. Gannett was on hand
Pressed by members of the subcommit-
tee, Prof. Gannett frankly admitted he
was prejudiced in favor OF the explorer
before he saw Peary's data submitted to
the National Geographic Society as proof
He believed Peary had reached the pole
from the very first moment the explorer
had made the claim.
Prof. Gannett grew embarrassed when
the subcommittee eyfnced a desire to see
Pearys proofs. He said he did not be-
lieve Mr.. Peary would permit the mem
berS to take even peep at them. He
declared that Mr.. Peary wanted TO use
them first before letting the newspapers
get hold OF them or any part Of them.
Members of the subcommittee showed
some Irritation at this frank statement.
and pointed out to Prof. Cannot that Mr..
Peary was a public officer on public duty
have found 1t, and that, consequently. his
observations, etc. should be considered
government property. Certainly this was
the case, members OF the subcommitte ar
manding high recognition and reward for
him at the hands OF Congress-.
Prof. Gannett merely repeated his
previous observatfons-that he was con-
WINGED that Mr.. Peary would not show
the subcommittee his data.
Peary Might Allow a Peep.
At this point Representative Alexan-
der Of New York. chairman of the in
f1uential committee on rivers and har-
bors, Peary's warm friend and cham
pion. and who would like to see the
explorer retired with the rank and pay
OF q senior rear admiral of the line
jumped to his feet and told the SUBJ
committee he had talked with Mr.
Peary only last night. and was sure
he would permit the subcommittee to
look the records over,
But now. Mr.. Alexander" suggested
Q member OF the subcommittee. be sure
you understand what that means. If Mr..
Peary submits his records to us, We shall
feel at liberty to make them public, or
publish them as government document,
or have other scientists look them over,
or do anything else we want with them
Mr.. Alexander thought this over a mo-
ment, and then decided that, before the
subcommittee invited Mr.. Peary before
1t to submit his proofs in person, as one
member had proposed. that he had bet
ter have another talk with the explorer
and find out just how far he was willing
to go.
1t was just about at this point that
Macon, who had apparently become tr-
rtated as a result OF Peary's DISPOSE
ton, as testified to by his friends. to keep
his public records for private use in bis
magazine stories. jumped up and left the
committee ROOM He declared before be
went, however. that he thought before
Congress attempted to reward Mr.. Peary
the American people had q right to know
the basis for doing 1t.
He announced that he would fight to
the bitter end any attempt in subcommit-
tee, committee, or on the floor OF the
House to reward Mr.. Peary for his ex
plorations unless there was presented TO
Congress every scrap OF tangible evil
dence having to do with the discovery OF
the pole.
This seemed to meet with the approval
Of a majority of the membI-s Of the sub
committee, who are Representatives But
Ter of Pennsylvania, chairman: Roberts
of Massachusetts, Dawson of Iowa, Bates
OF Pennsylvania, Engali. Bright OF Wis
consin. Gregg Of Texas and Macon OF Ar
kansas.
The subcommittee will meet again
next Tuesday. when Mr.. Peary's frienus
will appear and the explorers fate WILL
be decided-that is. the subcommittee
will know then whether or not they
will have a chance to inspect the Peaiy
records and Mr.. Peary will know then
whether or not the subcommittee viii,
even take under consideration any ux
the various propositions to offer him q
governmental reward.