The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-06-16
Thew Also Serve


Now that we have recovered somewhat from our
Lindbergh iag-for every of us became little
drunk on Lindbergh glory-lets take stock of
selves
republics are ungrateful" we overheard Indy
fan observe the crowd went wild. "They say
citizen can sacrifice everything he has for his
try and get nothing in return They say he give
his life and nobody will remember his name"
"Ffddlestcks!" there's your Look at
Indy Loaded with honors. Fortunes await the
mere nod of his head Do something and that
what you get
Eyes" came the answer do something spectac-
ular, something that fires the imagination of the
masses and that is what you get. But it must be
spectacular spectacular that the bureaucrats and
chair warmers of your republic find their hands forced
by popular camor Otherwise you'll get little moth
lng-neither honor nor riches"
That nasty dig. Was it's it true?
- Somebody has written in to tell us about the case
ia John r. kissinger You probably never heard of
Messenger. We never had Yet he did a thing as
Nleat as Lindbergh-and Lindbergh-mad
HID as anybody Kissinger voluntarily offered to die
3 miserable lonely death that others might live.
Result: Today he is physical wreck, pitiful shell
of his former husky self. And poor
What did he do? Well, some will recall the yell
low fever. In the 100 years up to 1900 country
was visited by seventy-seven yellow fever epidemics.
Cities were depopulated. At army post out of
1900 soldiers 1411 died of the saffron Scourge.
single one of these epidemics cost the Government
$1OOOO0O00 Work on the Panama canal was
stopped The French company building it had to
give up.
What caused the yellow fever was mystery.
Washington sent Major Reed-Dr. Walter Reed-to
Cuba to find out. He had theory. He suspected
mosquitoes. But he needed subjects for his expert
ment-human beings, not mice, monkeys or guinea
pigs.
Kissnger private in the Army and John j.
Moran volunteered for of the decisive tests They
volunteered to sleep locked in room with the vel
low death-five mosquitoes, which had bitten fever
patients.
Both were stricken. They came within ace
of dying. We had thought that Moran did die but
Paul De Kruf author of the "Microbe Hunters" in
forms us that he is still alive in the canal zone But
Kissingce has been an invalid ever since
Congress- eleven years after, granted grudging
$rOO month to Kissinger, but the pittance hardly
keeps him in medicine His wife has had to take in
washing to help keep the wolf from the door.
Fame? Who knows Kissinger? We told that
even the people of the town of Andrews Ind, where
he lives do not all they have great hero living
among them. Friends-scientists, mostly have been
trying to interest the public in his but find it
mighty hard Shedding.
every one says the yellow fever heroes ought
to be highly honored, writes Prof. James E. Peabody
of the Morris High School, New York, who has been
trying to do something about it, "but the funds drib
BILE n Oh, so slowly"
Kssinger, Moran and the others who worked with
Dr. Reed saved the Nation and the world from one
of civilizations worst horrors. They made the Pan
ANA canal possible. They saved countless lives an
nualy.
They saved the country millions OF dollars DR..
Reed said of his helpers: "This exhibition of moral
courage has never been surpassed in the Army of the
United States"
But what of it? For some of the heroes, nothing.
For others pittance. For the widows of those who
made the great sacrfce-$125 month
1t took Lindbergh to teach us a lesson. His
homeric deed might easily have gone unrewarded,
unhonored and unsung but for it's very glamour.
There should be Distinguished Service Cross for
all who do immortal things for country, not only
for our future Lindberghs but for our Reeds our
Kissngers our Morans and those others whose deeds
are done out Of the meight's glare. And there
should be- when needs be, ample annuity to &C
company the cross.
= For they also serve who serve in obscurity and
poverty.