The Washington herald., 1912-12-01

The heroism Of an officer of the Medi-
l cal Corps OF the United States Army, on
leave OF absence in Constantinople, and
of the secretary Of the American EN-
bassy there, was the talk OF official and
| unofficial Washington last week. It is
one thing to risk your life in line OF
duty, particularly when your own people
or their interests are concerned It is
is quite another and higher plane of
heroism, say those here who are accus-
toned to risking their lives, to wade into
the thick of a terrible cholera epidemic
to minister to people for whom you are
n no way, officially or socially. respon-
sible, and with whom you have little
in sympathy.
And that heroism is emphasized when
the influences which are responsible and
who should feel the call OF duty
have shirked their task. drawn back in
fear from the dread disease. and left
their countrymen and brothers in re-
ligiOn TO die by thousands.
News dispatches this week from Com
stantinople tell OF the daring humanita-
rianism OF five people. two of whom are
Americans, and in the service Of this
country. The five are Rev. Robert
Freew. a Scotch clergyman; Miss Alt,
Swiss woman sixty years old; Mai.
Clyde s. Ford, L. S. A. Medical Corps,
on sick leave; Hoffman Philip, secre-
tary OF the American Embassy at Con-
stantinople, and Maurice Barring, an
Englishman. While surgeons and ply
sicians of Constantinople are drawing
back their skirts from the infected dis
trict, these five are making daily trips
through the suffering thousands seek
ing TO prevent needless deaths and to
fnrT frNA
can provide for the dying Mr. Freew
and Miss Alt have made for themselves
n camp in the infected district Mai
Ford, the only man OF medical training,
according to the dispatches, who VEN
lures into the cholera district spends
most Of his time there, as do Secre-
tary Philip and the Englishman, Barring.
Praise Only Reward.
Good work and a fine chance for ex-
perience. say army medical men of Ford's
work. Most OF them have fought choI-
era themselves in the Philippines and
elsewhere, and they know what that
fight involves, the personal risk. the loss
of rest, the mental and physical strain
And they admit gladly that Ford's act
in rushing into the breach uncalIed
stamps him as a man. He probably will
make a report to the department Of his
observations in the cholera district, and
he may be complimented by his superiors
for his report. but that Is as far as he
can expect recognition for his bravery
Hoffman Philip, who has been able be-
fore now to cast aside the veneer of
diplomacy acquired through years OF
service and to push to the background
the astheticism which comes from great
wealth. private tutors, and Cambridge.
may receive a complimentary letter from
the Secretary Of State for his work. and
this letter will become a part OF his
record. That will be his recognition.
Philip is a washingtonian by birth,
a descendant Of the old Van Mesa family
of this city. wealthy and Cultured for
back. The family owned
much of the property which now con-
prises the District of Columbia beforV
1t was ceded by Maryland TO the Fed
eral government. He is forty years old
and has been In the consular and diplo-
matte service since 1901. Bern and ed
ucated to the soft, sleek side Of life,
he has seen most of the rough features
at close range. He was u Rough Rider
under Roosevelt during the Spanish
American war. Then he entered the Con-
sular Service, at that time not distinct
from the Diplomatic Corps, and spent
five years at Tangier. leaving there
finally as secretary to the legation and
consul general, to become a member of
the mixed claims commission at Casa
Blanca. Later he was appointed Min
lister Resident and Consul General to
AbyssinIa In 1909 he was transferred
as secretary OF the embassy at Rio de
Janeiro and six months later was again