South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-01-19

Baschin, president of the geographical
institute of the Berlin university; Prof.
Georges LeCOinte, secretary of the In
ternatiOnal Bureau of Polar Research
in Belgium, member of several Polar
expeditions; Edwin Swift Balch, emil
nent scientist and geographical his
torian of Philadelphia, and many 9TH
ers. Many of these men have written
newspaper and magazine articles sup
porting DR.. Cook and some have writ
ten books. Edwin S. Balch has writ
ten two: The North Pole and Brad
ley Land, in which he proves Dr.
Cooks polar success by Peary's report;
MT. Mckinley and Mountain Climb
erS' Proofs, in which he proves DIR.
Cooks climb of Mt. Mckinley by an
analysis of the comparative material
written by the leaders of the three
other expeditions all of which claim
to have reached the summit or within
q hundred feet or so of the top, after
DIR. Cooks book Ito the Top of the
Continent, was published
The fourth question was: why
did the Danes Turn DIR. Cook down 2"
They did not turn the doctor down.
They simply said that on account of
the long range of unavoidable mac
curacies which must enter into any
calculations for position on the polar
sea and because there was no other
white man present as a witness that
there could be no positive proof. This
did not carry the Interpretation that
the pole had not been reached. Quite
ito the contrary the Danes showed
their good faith by giving a gold
medal and the honorary degree of Phi
d. in the university in recognition Of
their belief in his polar claim. Con-
trary to the press statement sent out
by the Peary bureau, those honors
have not been withdrawn. No honor
ever extended to DIR. Cook has been
withdrawn.
The last question asked was: why
is the polar discovery worth scrapping
about anyway" The answer is sim
ply that. the nations of the world have
spent millions of dollars and have sac
rificed hundreds of lives in an inter
national rival race for the pole and
since il was successfully reached first
by an American citizen ii is only
right and just that some form of ma
tional recognition be extended to the
first man To force his way over those
perilOus mid-polar seas and plant the
stars and stripes at the top of the
world Has all patriotism left our
citizens that we should ask such a
question? Besides. both explorers
have done much in the way OF map
ping the lands and clearing up a part
Of the worlds unknown for our geog-
raphies and have brought back infOr-
nation regarding the valuable min
erals and bearing animals of the
north.
We are glad indeed that so much in
terest is being shown in our essay con-
test, for only by asking questions and
investigation can we arrive at any
thing ike a correct solution of this
most interesting question.
We feel that the writing OF these
essays by the students will help them
IN their English. will give them a
little study in the history OF polar eX
plOratiOn and what they learn about
the geography of the north ought also
10 be valuable, so by writing these
themes the students are benefited in
three distinct branches Of school
work. besides helping to see that JUS
tive is done our explorers.
Questions are solicited and We will
endeavOr TO answer all queries 10 the
best of our ability and Information.
Address all communications TO The
NpWs-TimeS contest deDartment