The Washington times., 1919-04-13
The Photograph of the Divorced Mrs. Macay Who
Is Now the Wife of Dr. Blake.

- R. JOSEPH A. BLAKE, one Of the
foremost surgeons in New York, In
vaded the home of Mr.. Clarence II.
Mackay, the multi-miIlionaire capitalist
and the scandal drove Dr. Blake and Mrs.
Mackay out of New York and out of the
United States.
Mr.. Mackay arranged a divorce. Mrs.
Blake, with much bitterness, cast OF her
distinguished husband. Then the dis
graced pair ran away to Paris and were
married This was six years ago.
Now it is announced that they are COM
ing back to New York to live. And fash
ionabIe society is busying itself with two
very interesting questions:
Will society forgive and welcome the
woman?
Will prudent husbands trust a doctor in
their homes who betrayed a friend and
patient?
DR.. Blake and his wife have done splen-
did work during the war, and this is urged
as a reason why they should be forgiven.
But it is also pointed out that thousands
of other men and women have been equal
" earnest war workers and that DR..
Blake's betrayal was unethical and pecu-
larly unforgiveable and that society must
not put its stamp of approval on a doctor
who cannot be trusted in your home.
It is definitely announced that the
famous surgeon, with his wife and their
two young children will return to America
this year permanently They will spend
the Summer at the fashionable Newport
colony and after that will look for home
IN New York, where the doctor will en-
deavor to resume his great surgical prac-
tice and his wife perhaps her social and
other activities.
Many curious problems of the same kind
have come up before, and New York so
ciety has usually been liberal in its treat
ment Of those who possessed wealth and
social gifts.
But never before, perhaps, did society
have to consider so fagrant a violation OF
the conventions as in this case. DR.. Blake,
a surgeon enjoying peculiarly confidential
relations with many persons, won the af-
fections Of the wife of a friend. While do
ing this he abandoned a faithful and es-
Unable wife. who had borne him two prom
ising children.
His affinity, Mrs Mackay, already the
mother of three children, parted FROM a
husband who had become quite noted for
his devotion and princely generosity to
her. Her cause is made all the more re-
markable by her intelligence, her preten-
sions to political leadership and her we'll
known interest in various kinds of public
work, both philanthropic and political.
How will society judge the conduct of
such a man as DR.. Blake. both in its pri-
vate and its professional aspects? Can
wealthy husbands of young and charming
wives consider him a trustworthy man
to safeguard the health of their wives or
their daughters? Can dignifed matrons,
who feel a sense of responsibility for the
tone of society, treat DR.. Blake as man
to be received into specially confidential
relations?
The question of the treatment Of Mrs.
Blake is not less puZzling. How shall re-
sponsible men and women receive a wom-
an who left an excellent husband who en-
joys the highest esteem Of society, and
three lovely children without any discoV-
erable excuse?
The social position of Clarence Mackay
is one of the many factors that cOmplicate
the situation. Few men of such wealth en-
10y more general popularity in the social
world than he does.