Evening star., 1937-03-03
F. Theo. Rogers, in Capital,
Tells of Adventure in Spain
Manila Newspaper Man
on One of Many Globe.
Circling Trips.

r. Theo. Rogers, general manager
Of the Philippine Free Press, globe
trotter and happy adventurer, is in
Washington for one Of his periodic
stopovers en- route from Manila, p. l.,
to Manila, p. l., via known and un-
known parts Of the civilized world.
Every three years or 50 he makes the
trip, accumulating autographed pho.
tos, mementos. interviews with what
ever famous or Infamous characters
the world may have to offer and stor-
ing up additional incidents of a life
that has been crammed with interest,"
ing experiences.
He brings with him to Washington
two faint scars on his chin, reminders
Of q narrow escape on the night Of last
July Is, one Of Barcelonas many
nights of revolutionary terror; letters
from most Of the leaders on both sides
of Spain's civil war, many autographed
photographs and clippings, a large
bundle of awe-inspiring military
passes and a stenographer's report Of
his appearance before a committee OF
the House Of Commons last month in
London. where he gave his views
on the Spanish situation. Things
like addressing committee OF the
House of Commons without notice
just happen to Theo. He handled him
self well, Of course. He has the repu-
tation In Manila Of being silver
tongued orator on any occasion and
on any subject. He uses his gift to
advantage and to the delight Of his
friends.
Wounded In Spanish War.
For instance, on the night Of July
1s in Barcelona. at the outbreak Of the
civil war, he went to the home Of an
old Spanish friend whose family he
had known for many years in Manila.
The menfolk were all away. Two un-
protected women and several children
were huddled in a room, listening to
firing and shouts from the street.
Mr.. Rogers had barely arrived be-
fore the windows were shattered by
airing from the street. Two bullets
struck a marble statue Of Venus de
Milo and ricocheted harmlessly away.
Another struck Venus in the small OF
her marble back and two chips OF mar
BILE hit Theo on the chin. Blood
streamed from the cuts and he was
| CORY spectacle when squad OF militia
or soldiers, or rioters, or revolutionists.
or whatever they were, began banging
| on the door with the butts of their
rifles and demanding that everybody
come out and be shot.
Theo. came out, waving in one hand
his American passport and IN the
other two letters. Using his passport
as a text, he made an eloquent ad.
dress on his American citizenship and
reached q climax by pointing toward
the harbor, where two American anc
three British warships rode at anchor
He said that If so much as one hail
| of his distinguished head was In
| jured, every gun on those ships Of
war would be turned on Barcelona
and the place would be reduced t
shambles. His government might
overlook the cuts on his chin. he said
but
Roosevelts All the Same.
Then he went on to the letters. One
letter, he said, was from the "viceroy
of the Philippine Islands" the ther
Gov. Gen. Frank Murphy, now Gov
ernor Of Michigan. The other. h<
said. was from President Roosevelt
The letter happened to be an old one
from the late Theodore Roosevelt,
but the Spaniards are not discrini.
mating and one Roosevelt to them is
as good as another. To make long
story short, 1heo soon had the SOL
diers thoroughly impressed and drink
ing cognac, eating sandwiches, pro-
viding him with personal escort and
leaving two OF their number to guard
the home Of those who, q short time
before, had been booked for execution.
There had been sniping from the
vicinity, the soldiers explained apol-
ogetically, and the orders were to clean
out the block.
That is merely one Of Theo's many
stories of intercession for Spanish
friends, many of whom owe their es.
cape from Spain to his gifts of ora
tory and his fortnight figures OF
speech. He was in Spain for SIX
months and covered the country from
end to end. He Is extremely proud OF
the fact that he never discarded his