The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-06-04
Ask Your Congressman This One

Why does our Government. making the rules
it seems to, that only military man can be nero
or shed great luster on our country?
We ask this because Lindbergh offers us daz'
cling example of mere civilian performing deco
of valor unsurpassed by citizen, soldier or sailor IN
all our history. Yet being CIVILIAN ne was no'
strictly eligible for the distinguished hylng cross
honor conferred upon him.
Iindbergh only got the D. F. c. because his feat
was so epochal so everastingly breath-taking that
precedent had to be created in his favor
Ever hear of James Carroll? Or Jesse Lazear?
Or DR.. Cooke? Or w. G. Jernegan? Or l.. E. FOLK?
Or John j. Moran?
Each Of these is a national hero, but unsung
Who even so much as remembers ever nearing tneir
names?
For years the dreaded Yellow Jack had peen
taking it's toll by thousands in our fairest cities
Sometimes the epidemics were so bad that not
enough living were left to bury the dead
Horror stalked the countryside and people fed
in terror Havana Cuba, became shambes, and
down in Panama. where the French we're digging
canal workers died like flies until engineers there
gave up the job in despair.
Along came Walter Reed-another compare
lively unknown American hero who deserves the
highest honors grateful people could oestoW-Wno
with commission, figured that mosquitoes were
responsible for the disease.
To make sure, he volunteered to let the var
minis bite him.
But he was considered too old. Carroll and
Lazear two of his younger assistants, insisted the
test would be more conclusive if they were bitten.
And they were.
Carroll was stricken and he suffered the fortunes
of the damned before he recovered Lazear similarly
stricken died 1t looked if the theory was right
Still one could not be absolutely sure. Perhaps
contact with patients or their garments might cause
infection To see if this true, two beautifully
clean rooms prepared one screened to keep
out the mosquitoes, the other to pen them in.
Facing a horrible death, Jernegan and Folk, two
privates and Dr. Cooke went to live in the mosquito
less room but into which the soiled garments of yell
low fever cases had been thrown in profusion
sleeping between sheets from beds which patients
had died.
For three weeks they lived literally. face to face
with DEATH never knowing what moment would find
them writhing in the grip of the Yellow Jack. They
emerged alive and we'll
Meantime, in the other room, John J. Moran
had voluntarily locked himself up with mosquitoes
which had previously bitten fever patients. He died
in torture, but as glorously any leader who ever
charged for God and country at the head of forlorn
hope
Did any of these men receive medals for their
deeds? Not that heard Of They saved
millions of lives. They gave us the Panama canal.
But seem to have had no way of honoring
them. The widows of those who died, we are told,
received $1,000 pensions, but those who survived
their acts of heroism went their way into oblivion.
That was not right. We want orders or dec
orations which politicians deal out to people with
pull But there ought to be some national award
for men like these, whether civil military, and
without regard for rank or station It's the demo
cratic thing to do