PROPOSED PEARY PENSION.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 77, 2 April 1910, Page 9

PROPOSED PEARY PENSION.

UNITED STATES HOUSE COMMITTEE AGAINST IT. A CIVIL ENGINEER IN THE NAVY. "Commander" Robert E. Peary, discoverer of the North Pole, will not (stated the Springfield Republican on 17th February) be given tho rank of rear-admiral in the navy as proposed, in recognition of his (services as an explorer, if Congress approves the action of the subcommittee of the House Committee on Naval Affairs, which voted at Washington, to report adversely the Bills offered by Senator Hales and Representative Allen. The committee of six members voted unanimously against bestowing the honour upon Mr. Peary. A letter from Secretary Meyer wad received by the Naval Committte giving Mr. Peary 'B naval record, and stating that he should be designated as "civil engineer" and not "commander." Secretary Meyer said that Mr. Peary enlisted in the navy on 26th October, 1881, and that he had hod a total of over ten yeara in various leaves of absence. The secretary spoke of Mr. Peary's discovery of the Pole as "a self-imposed" but most commendable task, having no military or naval significance, and recommended that Mr. Peary be retired as a civil engineer with the pay of a rear-admiral. Members of the committee expressed antagonism to any idea of "pensioning" Mr. Peary with increased pay, although they thought Congress might favour the idea of giving him a gold medal. Representative Roberts of Massachusetts, member of the subcommittee, said that he saw ao reason whatever for conferring such an honour as was contemplated upon Mr. Peary. "His discovery of the North Pole," said Mr. Roberts, "has been absolutely of no benefit to the United States, to civilisation, or to the naval service, as far as I can see. He has been absent from duty in the navy department most of the time he has been connected with it, and has done nothing to entitle him to this honour. I think probably Congress might look with favour on giving him some other kind of recognition. For instance, if his friends wanted bim to receive ja gold medal or something of that sort, 1 would be in favour of it. But I am not in favour of giving Mr. Peary a pension for what ho has done. I don't think he is entitled to it." Secretary Meyer's letter referring to tho Bill introduced by Representative Allen is as follows :—"lt: — "It would appear that the Bill in question is framed for the purpose of rewarding Civil Engineer Peary for hovinr; reached the North Pole, and while his having successfully accomplished this self-impored task is ! most commendable, and reflects great j credit, not only upon himself, but also on the entire nation, his various exploring expeditions cannot be regarded as having been conducted for a strictly military or naval purpose, and for this Reason it seems inappropriate to confer upon him a title for which his previous education, training, and service have not : fitted him." The salary which Mr. Peary would have received as a rearadmiral, United States navy, retired, for the remainder of his life, would have been about 6000 dollars a year. [On the 10th March -the sub-committeo decided against honouring Commander Peary until ho had Mibmitted proof that he had reached the North Pole.]