Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-19
GIVEN BY ROYAL HANDS
Orders ShoWered Upon United
States Officials Abroad.
LEGION OF HONOR OF FRANCE
Grand Gordon Conferred Upon Ambas-
sador Mccormick.
OTHER NOTABLE DECORATIONS
Costly Gifts Held in the State Depart
ment Safe Awaiting the Action
of Congress.
LEGION OF HONOR OF FRANCE
OTHER NOTABLE DECORATIONS

(Copyright 1907 by John Elfreth Watkins)
On this side of the water practically no
note has been taken of the fact that Robert
g. Mccormick. our ambassador. now retlr-
ing from Paris. has just received the very
highest honor which France can confer
upon q foreigner. The millionaire son-in-
law of the famous war editor. Joseph Me-
dill, has been decorated with the Grand
Gordon of the Legion of Honor. A grand
Gordon is the highest grade of any old
world order, and is the ribbon. or sash,
stretched across the bosom, from the right
shoulder to the left hip Americans are
familiar with the countcrfeits of it worn in
the drama across the immaculate shirt
bosoms of men in full evening dress.
In the Legion of Honor. as in many other
orders of Europe, the poSSeSSor of the
grand Gordon is entitled to wear with it a
grand cross upon his left breast.
Gives Great Power and Prestige.
Whenever attending a social or official
function in France Mr.. McCormck-if au-
titled to precede all persons. whatsoever and
whatsoever not able to wear the grand
Gordon Should he commit any offense in
France the only court competent to try
him would be the French supreme court
itself. The superior dignity of his rank
dictiOn of all lower tribunals OF justice.
Should he die in France he would be given
the most imposing military honors known
TO the French. The greater part of an
entire division of troops would escort him
to his grave. Were Ambassador Mccormick
a citizen of France, the possession of the
grand Gordon would entitle him to pension
for life OF $3.50 per year. but no foreign
knights of the order are entitled to any
pecuniary indemnity.
The only other American ambassador to
have received this high distinction Is Gen.
Horace Porter
Secretary Hay was so honored shortly
before he died.
The second of the few grades of the
Legion of Honor-that of grand officer
has been conferred upon Charlemagne
Tower, our ambassador to Berlin, and upon
Lieut. Gen. Adna Chafee United States
army, who last winter retired from the
post of chief OF staff AT the beginning of
the present Congress Secretary of State
Root formally asked Congress to authorize
Gen. Chaffve and list of other government
officials to accept their decorations. On
this list were eight men decorated with the
insignia of Commander" the third grade
of the Legion of Honor; seven others with
that of officer" tie fourth grade and ten
with that of "chevalier,' the fifth grade
Those who have been made command
ers' are Herbert II. ID. PIERCE. United
States minister to Norway; Henry Vignaud
our secretary of embassy at Paris; Gems
Schofield. Young, Brooke, Bell and CroZier
and Rear Admiral Higginson. Gen. Scho-
field, however, has since died. The cross
of Commander" of the Legion of Honor
was conferred also upon Perry Belmont
when he was minister to Spain.
The Legion of Honor was established by
the French consulate more than century
ago, after the revolution had swept away
all of the brilliant orders conferred by
the Bourbon kings. 1t was greatly en-
larged by Napoleon Bonaparte and was
great power in his hands. but after his