Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-16
Says Belief Is Growing That
Peary's Rival Reached
North Pole.
BIG REQUEST TO KAISER
is DISPUTED IN COURT
Widow of Man Who Willed $780,.
600 Says Her Rights Were
Not Safeguarded.
BERLIN, August Q. 1913.


ton of scientific men in Germany One
OF these is Prof. Otto Baschin custodian
OF the Geographic Institute Of the Berlin
University. who, in an article headed us
Cook Swindler?" considers the Peary-
Cook controversy at considerable length.
and concludes that the evidence for
Cook s truthfulness is very strong.
The question Of observations based upon
the suns altitude as a method OF deter
mining whether one has reached the pole
Is summarily dismissed by Prof Baschin
as quite unreliable. The insuficiency of
such observations. he says, was set forth
soon after the Peary-Cook dispute arose
by DR.. A. Wedemeyer Of the German
imperial marine department. an expo
rienced astronomer and navigator, who
declared that the explorers dairies. SC
far as observations of the suns altitude
were concerned, could have no probative
value. Other authorities have since con-
f1rmed this declaration, says Prof. Bas-
chin, and, this being so. the question as
primarily one of credulity. in which
Peary, with years Of successful and hon
orable exploration to his account, nat
urally came of the better.
Prof. Baschin continues: "One must sep
arate this question whether Cook reached
even II he cannot prove his presence al
the pole, did not attain far toward the
pole and tread hitherto unknown por-
tons Of that part of the arctic regions
fected by the strife over the pole, and
deserve at least consideration, whereas
they are fully ignored by the Peary adj
herents. Little by little. however. the
number Of those who believe that Cook
reached the pole is growing"
Disputes Bequest to Kaiser.
Emperor William will not receive with
out a fight his inheritance of $75O.O0(
from Hermann Knorr, the patriotic wood
dealer OF Kauschw1tz. whose decease
after bequeathing to his majesty prac-
tically his entire estate was reported
last week.
The widow. who asserts that much OF
Knorr's wealth was due to successful rea
estate speculations financed by the money
she brought to him as her dowry. will
contest the will, which assigns to hel
merely the amount OF the original dowry
and an annuity Of 500. All the rest OF
the estate goes to the emperor. Ito be
used in Strengthening the army and
navy"
First estimates gave the value Of the
estate at only $3.50 900, the amount a,
which Knorr had been assessed for taxes
but later investigation showed that a faI
the incidental profit of his royal resid'
uary legatee. The widow, who. after nine.
teen years OF untroubled married life
finds the provisions Of the will exception.
ally hard, will be assisted in her fight
by ten near and needy relatives Of her
husband, who do not seem filled with
that enthusiasm for Germany's arma-
ments. of which representatives Of the
government and the patriotic parties
made SO much in the recent debates In
the reichstag on the military bills.
1t will be interesting in this connection
to note whether the authorities will revise,
In this case. the decision handed down a
few months ago in the case of a legacy
to the city Of Cnarlottenburg. There a
testator made the city his sole heir to
considerable property. In the course
Of the usual advertising for heirs pre-
scribed as a condition precedent to the
settlement of decedent's estate, some
distant cousins made their existence
known. All were needy. The provincial
government refused to consent to the city
the testator's relatives must be provided
for.
Early German Colony.
Emperor William has just presented to
the city of Emden two old 'rusted cannon.
which recall an almost forgotten chapter
that Germany was seeking Its place in
the sum- SO far as African colonies are
concerned, over two centuries before
Agadir.
The cannon were found on the site Of
an old fort, Gross F'riedrichburg, on the
gold coast Of Africa, which was built for
the defense Of the colony established
there by the great elector in 1883. His
ambition was to make Brandenburg the
40 %sp$v L.
a rival of England and Spain as coloniz-
ing power, and he sent out an expedition
from Emden to establish a settlement on
the west coast Of Africa. Emden had at
that time one of the best harbors on the
North sea, and the elector decided to
make It the home port of his colonial
venture, as well as Of his modest little
navy.
The undertaking, however did not
prosper. and In I'LL Frederick William I,
the father OF Frederick the Great, sold
the colony to the Dutch East India Com
pany Of Amsterdam. It finally fell into
the hands of England through the Ash
antee war. about forty years ago.
Army Officers a Problem.
Although Emperor William is not now
retiring so many officers. In order to put
younger men in control Of the army, as he
did some years ago. the problem Of find
ing suitable positions for the retired men
is still pressing one.
Retirements usually occur when the
officers are still in their best years and
still able to give twenty or thirty years
of their lives to civil callings. The new
minister Of war has sent out a circular
to the chambers OF commerce of Ger
many, asking their cooperation in getting
positions for the retired officers He
claims for them special fitness for posi-
tons of trust and personal responsibility,
and wherever ability to manage men,
rather than commercial talent. is re-
quired.
Expressions on the subject by COM
merc,aI authorities indicate considerable
doubt, in a general way. as to the fitness
of the officers for positions in commercial
and Industrial undertakings. 1t is felt
that most Of them are too old to adapt
themselves to the untried circumstances
of business life. while the feeling of SUI
neriority, cherished so fondly by many
army officers, will make 1t difficult for
them to work on a basis OF fellowship
with men trained entirely along civil lines.