The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-26
Worlds Greatest F'a-
ker Givesthe Lie to
Knud Rasmussen,
SAYS EXPLORER
is A MUCKRAKER
Stays in Cook Band-Wagon Till
Music Stops, Then Goes With
Peary, and Finally Joins
Anti-Pcaryites for Sake
of Keeping in
Lirnelight.

Ne,v York, December 25.--Character-
lzIng Knud Rasmussen, the Danish e%-
plorcr. as one who would "stoop to the
depths of a literary muckraker TO sel
public attention. DR.. frederiek a.
Cook geyc out a statement tonight IN
answer TO Rasmusscn's attack OF NO
yembcr last in which alleged inter
views with Cooks Eskimo companions
,.cre cited 10 show that the North Pole
was not reached BY them.
Incidental to his defense OF his own
narrative OF Arctic exploration, IT
Cook says that by Rasmusscn's methoas
OF investigating. Robert r. Peary couln
with equal case be discrediteo' Uu1
declares that he will take Mr.. PearS >
word In preference to either that u
Rasmussen or the Iskimos in the ma
Tor OF his own accomplishments"
arnnds Statements False.
In his statement given out to-hlEht
pr Cook answers categorically the
staten. ents imputed to the Eskimo poSs'
denvIflg each i'm turn and giving rea-
sons why no thinks they should DE
considered false; declares that kasnis-
zen has reason to dislike MIN tCookl >
says no effort was made TO get at ti1c
truth in the alleged examination OF the
Z
thc,- were piled with leading questions,
desis,ned TO evolve the answers desired,
and points out what he terms the
well known trait OF all Indians TO give
answers which they believe will please
their qlcstioners. The statement SAYS.
Sow let us examine Rasmussen
--latest charges lie starts out by say
ing: Already in 1909 there existed
grave doubts as To whether DIT. COOK
really had reached the pole II this
tg true statement, then Rasmussen
couvIcts himself of a false position IN
tho very start. For without wore
OF instruction from nc. he came out IN
Vigorous and voluminous reports IN
my defense. Why did he jump INTO
thc Cook band wagon and shout IL ne
had doubts"
A number of details arc here cited
by Dr. Cook TO contradict alleged re-
marks Of the Eskimos concerning the
number of slcdges and the time 1t took
them TO travel over certain distances.
Al these false statements. continues
the doctor, would have been found
false by putting a few questions TO
the older men of the supporting party
but 1t was not done, although there
were half-dozcn men who could have
affirmed or denied the boys story
Even Mr.. Peary's statements, says DR.
Cook, contradict these assertions. he
coatinues:
'The meanest slur which Rasmus'
sen throws is that of cheating the
boys They were promised knife ant
gun They were paid before ws
started. Therefore Rasmussen's charge
is as false as the whole fabric of hi'
weaving: but instead of Keeping 10 m,
promise gave them many moro thing!
and instructed Mr.. Whitney to turI
over all my belongings to them whei
he left. II Is. therefore. in the powc'
of Whitney to say whether l cheatc'
tho Eskimos or not. And II Rasmus
sen is wrong on this baseless charge
can he be believed in anything else?
Dlscrcdits MissionarIcs.
DR.. Cook, turning his attention TO tn
missionaries, through whom, 1t is al
legged. Rasmussen obtained the Eskim
boys statement, explains that the,
were half-breed Eskimo Christians
who were quite unable to make them
selves understood by the Esk!mos I
whom they preached and Vet thes
game missionaries arc credited wit
sufficient Intelligence to cross-examin
the Eskimo boys about something whic
they Themselves do not understand.
DR.. Cook says in conclusions:
During all of last winter Rasltus
sen travelled through Denmark on
lecture tour. and in his discourses h
has vigorously defended Peary. Fo
years Rasmussen has hcaped all kind
of abuse on Peary, most of It not fit I
print. There is something irrations
about Rasmussen's public utterances.
The only rational explanation &c
Rasmussens irrational course is
credit him with an ambition to get int
the limclight. For llo first jump
without invitation, on the Cook ban
wagon: when the music stops he joir
the rebound of the shouting pres
then out Of job. he runs to the Pear
band wagon. Again, when the mus
stops, he joins the noisy anti-Pear
knockers. l hope the outcome hs
given him the publicity which he hs
aimed for. But need an explorer stoc
to the depths of a literary muckrakt
to get public attention?'