Edda's Reward

Good citizens in various walks of life pondered for a few moments last week upon a series of bronze, silver and gold disks now widely distributed throughout the world. On one side of the disks are stamped the name of a, hero, a map of North America, and the Coats of Arms of the U. S., Canada and Newfoundland, together with the inscription, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." On the other side is stamped a likeness of famed philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. The discs are the Carnegie Hero Medals. Last week one of them--a silver one--was awarded to Edda Mussolini, able swimmer, rescuer of an unknown woman from drowning (TIME, Aug 17), young daughter of famed Benito Mussolini.

Connoisseurs of philanthropy recalled Mr. Carnegie's often expressed reasons for creating his Hero Fund: "I believe that it take-much more heroism to save life than to take it. ... Unfortunately most of the monuments of the world are to somebody who has killed a lot of his fellow men. . . . I do not expect to create a race of heroes by offering prizes. I know well that the heroic action is impulsive. . . . But I have all along felt that heroes and their dependents should be freed from pecuniary cares resulting from their heroism." Observers noted that no pecuniary cares have devolved upon Edda Mussolini as a result of her heroism. Accordingly she will receive only a medal. The Hero Fund however might have additionally rewarded her in cash, at its discretion, had she been in need.