OCR Text |
Show CALLS PEARY "BRAGGART" Washington, Feb. 11. Denouncing Robert E. Peary, the explorer, as t "selfish egotist' and a "braggart" Capt. B. S. Osborn, secretary of the Arctic club of America, has written a letter to tho subcommittee of tho house naval committee, approving the hitter's action in voting down the proposition pro-position to make Peary a rear admiral, ad-miral, , Captain Osbom snys in his letter: ' The action of the subcommittee on naval affairs in the matter of Civil Engineer Robert E. Perry (not rcary. for that Is an assumed name), deserves tho heartiest commendation of every American citizen who values Justice and respects the United States navy. . "To have given this selfish egotist, this braggart, the rank of rear admiral ad-miral would be a foul blot on tho records of congress and an Insult to the navy of Urn United States; It would have disgusted millions of our citizens who have no confidence in this alleged pole hunter and Arctic fur trader and story teller, who for nearly a quarter of a century has Icon living off the people and sailing under a naval rank to which he had no legal right. Ho should have been severely reprimanded by the navy department de-partment long ago." Another letter from Portland, Me., the homo of Mr. Peary, written by nn executive officer In the navy reserve re-serve of that state, says: "It should be plain to all thinking citizens that thero Is a group of men In Washington, who while ready suitably suit-ably and generously to recognize tho distinguished achievements of Mr. Peary, refuse to bo actuated or influenced influ-enced by fanatical sentlmcntallsm." Another letter from Boston says: "Your amazing statements about Lieut. Peary seem incomprehensible. All nations are waiting upon the Unl ted States by courtesy before showering show-ering honors on Peary. Herschel was knighted for finding Uranus, a thousand thou-sand million miles further away than the north pole and many thousand times more 'secless' by your code." Washington. Feb. 14. Robert E, Peary, discoverer of the north polo, had the experience today of being decorated dec-orated by a foreign scientific society and vituperated by a fellow explorer and countryman. Furthermore, It was announced that congress may supply funds with which tho American who has been farthest north will load an expedition to the Antarctic seas to lay claim to the territory discovered i.early 100 years ago by another intrepid in-trepid American and over which no fiag has yet been floated. The Italian Geographical society is the organization that has conferred the decoration on Commander Peary. Secretory Meyer, on whom tho explorer ex-plorer called today, announced that If it was decided to have Commander Peary head the expedition that will lay claim lo Wiles land on behalf of tho United States. President Taft may ask congress to provide th funds for carrying out the expedition In view of tho interests now attaching at-taching to tho search for tho- souili pole, Wiles land suddenly has become of importance Neither Secretary Meyer nor Commander rcary would give the nature of their conference, which occupied more than an hour. It Is not Improbable that the secretary explained to his caller the reasons for the defeat in congress of the attempt to have the explorer honored with tho rank and pay of rear admiral. The house, committee on naval af fairs, which voted down the proposition, proposi-tion, has revolved a number of letters, let-ters, condemnatory and otherwise. One was received today from Capt, B. S. Osbon. president of the Arctic Club of America, which Js bitter In the extreme. Capt Osbon, who championed cham-pioned the cause of Cook In tho re cent Peary Cook controversy, did not mince words in denouncing Mr. Peary and attributing to him Infraction of practically all the arts of good taslo and decency. oT give Commander Peary the rank aud pay of a rear admiral. Capt. Osbon declared, would have boon a "foul blot on the rec-, ords of congress and an insult to tho navy of the United States and would have disgusted millions of our cltli-zens." |