New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-01-11
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
co,tan Chmck's Galla'atry Recog-
nised-Needs of Medical Corps.

.xartsttou by the PreSiueiiI Oh d tieoo4 Va
- conferred by Congress for conspicuous
S,s-try in action. The recipient of the medaI
ssI-a-te,n James Robb Church. OF the medical
rs 81 the army. who was first lieutenant
.,..snt surgeon in the Rough Riders.
az - ,,asentation was made the occasion on
IL, Of the notable character of Captain
sceoa,. s.rv,ces. of a brilliant ceremony. In
ChuiA -,o,ca Of a distinguished assemblage, in
hs secretary Taft Lieutenant General
eE0u..-9 .L ,,e,nbers of the General Staff Of the
CD'i'., several officers of the navy, including
afm' ro,eraI Rixey all in full dress uniform
sulesO ..tare Of the legislative council OF the
a1u - Medical Association. President Roose-
-.eanted the medal TO Captain Church. Inc
Se' -, took Mace in the Presidents private
IA the adjoining Cabinet room hahseu
eH the office were the members OF the zen
s-..A and other uniformed officers. ana III
-.b,nat room were the members OF INC
...,,a1 Association and invited guests
-o.s-v Taft formally presented Cap'a'
80 the President, saying he had peeIi
t"-,.-,5ed for medal of honor for olstil-
.,,.,trv and service other than that
E1i'", oarod for in the line Of his duty. Inc
.,-,- called attention TO the fact that Oeh
1.ouard Wood. then colonel OF the housN
-. and the President himself. ooth as lleu
-, colonel and colonel of the regiment ii'O
..,,,,roended that the medal be conferred upoii
..o;r Church The Secretary then reau l'oil
- o45cial records quoting both General WOOD
~. the President. The former reported 20 'iAe
war Department:
= .bo heat Of the action DR.. Church came on
he firing line repeatedly, ana IN a.ri3a,,ce
-; the men the necessary surgical asslsta.oS
s.i-9 9o,,e Eve of them his back ana cdtIIeu
rem under very heavy fire ana WIN q ae,;eS
evroc,lre TO himself TO the rear. ms ss
LII have been legitimately consloereu eiuou
.+ta lime being In giving them the pest pos
~ surgical aid and such assistance as ne
onld render on the spot; but in adoluoh 70 IiIls
- reformed the duty above speclheo' cart
" P .ar several hundred yards over an eie-
sts5 ridge in the open. displaying IN SO uolIls
the greatest gallantry and disregard OF M WI
life in his efforts to remove the woulaea men
"A ? position Of safety. where greater f'ssi
could be furnished them
Turning TO captain Church. President Roose-
rsl+ holding in his hand the morocco case IN
,.;ob the medal was enclosed, addressed him
as follows
Captain Church There is no distinction wn 1iIi
,orfsrs Greater honor on any American IN mill
- ~ civil life than thistle honor coFettd
ebove all others by every man in the mlhIary
service Of the United States. II was my soou
fortune as colonel of the regiment IN when
YOU served. to be an eyewitness 10 your ga
antry and 10 bear testimony 20 II by letter
N the proper authorities, stating the reasons
why deemed that you were entitled 70 'his
medal Of honor.
wish TO state Mr. Secretary. that the letters
wrote were writer before l was President
Since was President have held no confnu-
nication whatsoever with the mlntary auILoIl-
lies on the subject Captain Church. there
could he no greater pleasure than now ekpe,
rence in handing 10 my old comrade and friend
this medal Of honor
Grasping Captain Churchs hand. the Presi-
dent remarked as an aside: There is no greater
comradeship than that which comes from hay
ing lived in the trenches together
Captain Church bowed, but words evidently
failed, and he accepted the medal in silence
Turning then 10 the members of The Ameri-
can Medical Association, the President said with
great esrnestness
want 20 say just word of greeting to you
and To ask your influence on behalf of the medi-
al corps. not only Of the army, but of the
navy. There is not more exacting profession:
there is not a profession which makes greater
demands on those following it and which more
entities them TO the gratitude Of mankind than
IS the profession which is yours. The army sur
geon has 10 combine the work Of your profession
with the work Of the military men Of the line
IN saying that ! want 10 call your attention to
tTo specific things-one thing that is now being
cone by men Of Your profession and one need
Of men Of your profession
First, the thing that is being done: All the
Cnled states is the debtor 10 the medical men
who have accomplished such remarkable work
On me lsthmus Of Panama. You hear very loose
tak about making the dirt hy in Panama Be
loe making the dirt fly il was necessary to get
me microbes under: it was necessary TO grapple
WIN me mosquitoes; necessary TO eradicate dis
seSe- mat has been done to perfection we
nave had the foundation laid for that wonderful
piece OF constructive engineering work TO dig
lne giant canal Too much praise cannot be
ana -
., 80 much for tribute 10 your compeers Now as
% me need Of Your compeers. You recollect the
0hpialnt made about hygienic conditions during
.he war with Spain. Complaint was made that
M M troops were not properly treated, etc. The
relle rested not on any man then in office but
-" OUT people rs whole. who had declined
r.lough lhelr representatives.. TO make provision
iS IN advance for meeting such a need If we
au d war va break out tomorrow and had to raise
- 'aIse army there would re an Immediate
I'dkdoWn in the medical depa trnent simply
euse az present our medical corps is numeri-
~ Vily ~ 70 take care Of about 40 per cent
y oe regular army as il is now The medical
-. - = MOI numerically ft to grapple with
ualnpaign in which our whole army as IL is the
-,ae army as il is should be employed. And. of
:-'Se' II We mad 10 mobilize an army Of voiun-
eefS We would, under present conditions have
, - count upon widespread disaster through the
.5.qIlihss IN the medical and sanitary and
ssieiic arrangements rendered inevitable by
vi present lack Of preparation
fbis IS apanese have given us a good lesson in
tbr a. ~ many other particulars. by the way
80. 80 handled their army in the recent war One
me reasons why their medical departnent did
~ ne main reasOn-was the fact that they
rr- -. ah ample supply If doctors who had been
Ne '-seu IN time of peace in doing the duties
10y s5s would have TO do in war. And until we
- - provision for an ample corps OF doctors in
aIhE SO that they can be practised in time
;. todce, We viii not have prepared as we ought
- Prepare for the possibilities of war Until we
ve prepare We can make up our minds that
The, ar ourselves responsible for any disaster
~. s "ccurs 20 any army that the United States
~ RAISE in the future; not the man who may
,s,st me mead of the army at the time The
TO- liz. Is 70 attack the men in Office at the
r.. mat is utterly unjust, and the people
rt;selFes and the representatives of the peo-
80 - PUBIC life who have failed TO provide the
b. ssaFE means in advance they are RESPONSE
snueh disaster comes. That applies 10 the
o.5 5.cS department, and it applies TO every
Il IL branch Of the military establishment just