Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-09-24
The Evidence hat
Peary Did and
Cook Didn't,
That Cook
Did and
Peary Didn t
That Both
By Hon. S. D. Tess,


N what am about to say I shall voice
my sentiments not only as Member
of Congress. but in the spirit OF an
educator college president, teacher
OF history, and as a citizen jealous that
there should be no perversions of our
American history
1t is we'll for us to remember that tho
forum selected by DR.. Cook for the de.
termination of his claims was the Uni
Versity Of Copenhagen. He sent it what
he declared were his proofs Of his alleged
discovery Of the North Pole.
The committees final verdict and the
verdict of the university consistory is ex.
pressed formally in the finding Of the
latter:
The documents handed the university
for examination do not contain observa.
lions and information which can be re.
garded as proof that DR.. Cook reached
the North Pole on his recent expedition"
Rasmussen. noted Arctic explorer
who has favored DR.. Cooks claim, was
called i'll as an expert by the university's
committee; lie is reported as saying:
when | saw the observations, | real.
lied that it was a scandal The docu.
:1ents which Dr. Cook sent to the uni
Versity are most impudent 1t is the most
childish sort of attempt at cheating"
AS 20 the position Of Amundsen the
dscoverer Of the South Pole, quote as
follows from the report of an interview
with him:
There was absolutely nothing in these
alleged observations of DR.. Cook" said
Captain Amundsen. 1T was all fake and
could have deceived nobody. Thus, in
sorrow, was | forced to the conclusion
that my old comrade was lying"
After the University OF Copenhagen
kl.Ak
establish his claim, it will be remembered
that he was discredited by and expelled
from membership in Americas leading Or
CARNATIONS OF explorers.
Would not Il man OF a keen sense Of
honor. if he had a righteous claim and
really believed it should be investigated,
instead OF maintaining a lobby In
Washington and besieging Congress, pre-
sent his facts to the organizations of ex-
perts in exploration, which had expelled
him. and ask them to renstate him?
DR.. Cooks contention that he ascended
to the summit OF Mount Mckinley two or
three years prior to his claim with re-
spect to the North Pole is matter with
which the public generally is so thorough
ly familiar that it is hardly worth while
to comment thereon extensively
1t will be remembered that upon DR..
Cooks return from the Arctic regions in
1903 the guide who he alleged went to
the top OF Mount Mckinley with him an
nounced that they never had been to the
summit and that the picture Dr. Cook
took with this guide holding flag on
the top was miles from the peak. DR..
Cook with respect to this, asserted that
this was merely q plot Of Admiral Peary
to ruin him. Anyone, however, who takes
the trouble to examine the newspaper
files of that period can readily ascertain
for himself that this guide repudiated
Cooks claim before it was even known
that Peary had reached the North Pole,
for at the time he had not yet been
even heard from.
Every true American educator must
resent the recent efforts TO poison tho
minds of the children of this country
with respect TO the discovery of the North
Pole. Many newspapers seem to have
been misled and have fallen into the
trap OF offering DR.. Cooks book as
prizes for essays from the children upon
the subject Of The priority OF the dis
covery OF the North Pole, and then,
while the children were III the act OF
writing such essays. printing a mass Of
material furnished By DR.. Cook and giving
h wholly distorted idea OF the facts.
Further comment upon such activities
Is unnecessary. would not close tho
door of investigation even 10 Dr. Cook,
but he is not entitled 10 one in any
direction until he acts in manner that
accordS with his pretenSIonS. II he has
any bona tide claims there is but one
honest course for him 40 pursue Let
him in straightforward manner limit
them TO the forum ne himself selected,
the University OF Copenhagen. or lay them
before the American organizations OF
scientific experts which have expelled
him from membership and secure rein,
statement, Until he has done so auz
removed the stigma which rests upon
MN as result OF his expulsion from
the organizations OF American explorers
and experts upon Arctic conditions No
should not. through a lobby, press his
claims upon the attention OF Congress
men, who know little II anything. of polar
research and less Of the scientific ohser.
yatlons necessary to prove them.