The San Francisco call., 1908-05-24

Uncle Sam holds the combination and
he viii not tura the knob. around to
the mystic figure or utter the open
sesaa ne" unless congress says the word.
According 10 law passed in 1881.
the representatives OF this country have
the right to accept those little tokens.
but they haven't the right to wear
must turn them over to the state de-
partme mt. where they are laid away
for future reference. l. the recipien,
is real anxious to wear his medal with
its gay ribbon. he can have bill In
.roductd into congress giving the sec
retary OF state instructions TO turn IT
ovar to him. But congress hasn't much
time 10 bother with persons who want
to wear medals. and as a result the
safe is chock fuli. and only three per
sors in tie last 10 wears have had their
trEnkets legally turned over to them.
Meantime Secretary Root has to stand
= -'t--' ~ ea'reagies on the part OF
those who have been honored by for.
-~sN..s4.Nnts. Secretary Root has
grown tired-very tirec--of asking
congress to pass special bills for those
who want TO get their medals. He
comes pretty near saying so in letter
he sent to tie presiding oficer in besA
branches Of congress. The letter PeaAna
The department OF state does -
wish 10 trouble congress by trsnsu1o.
ting such applications if II is contrary
10 the policy OF congress to grant then
and Instructions have been given In ~
department that pending action on the
old applications which have thus been
renewed. no further applications will
be transmitted unless it be in some
extraordinary case"
In "A previous letter sent TO congress
oy Robert Bacon. assistant secretary
OF state, then acting as secretary OF
state. the application was made by the
department TO turn over nearly 100 dec
o. afions to officers of the government
VEo cannot accept them without get
Ting permission from congress Secre-
tary Root In another letter set forth
the situation TO congress:
While the department of state has
In the last 10 years transmitted to con
gress applications in more than 100
cases of decorations and presents de-
posted with IL, in accordance with
section OF the act OF January 81. 1881,
the department recalls but three in
stances during that period where con-
gress has acted. The fifty-seventh con-
gress authorized Commander James NJ
Miller and Surgeon Oliver d. Norton.
both OF the navy. and Edwin V. Morgan,
at the time secretary of legation TO
Korea, to accept certain presents from
the German emperor, and the fifty
ninth congress authorized the accept
ance OF decorations by Professor Simon
Newcomb and Rear Admiral B. II. Nc
Gala
To the official Of any foreign govern
ment the acceptance OF decoration APP
pears 10 be about the simplest thing in
the world. For this reason it is rather
hard for a friendly nation to under
stand why the United States. the least
formal OF all countries makes such a
fuss over the matter. Take the simple
case OF Captain c. de Witt Wilcox.
upon whom France conferred the dec
Grafton OF Ofscier d'Academie-no reas-
ons given. Captain Wilcox wants that
decoration. butehe has TO go to a lot of
trouble to get 1t.
Here is his little roll OF red tape In
the form of a bill which is labeled
senate file No. $3.50:
"A bill authorizing the department OF
state to deliver to Captain C. de w.
wilcox decoration and diploma pre-
senteo by the government of France.
BE IL enacted by the senate and
house of representatives OF the United
States of America in congress assem-
bled, that Captain c. de w. Wilcox.
United States army. be. and he is here
by. authorized TO accept the decoration
and diploma of O1icier d'Academie ten
dered to him, through the department
Of state of the United States. by the
government of the French republic; and
the department OF state is hereby au-
thorfzed to deliver TO him the said dec
oration and diploma"
From which it appears that IL Cap
tain Wilcox gets his decoration he 10
going TO earn 1t twice.
II is believed In Warrington that
after having turned deaf ear TO any
suggestions that the gifts be accepted
by the individuals for whom they are
designed. there 10 very little likelihood
that congress VIII take any decisive
steps toward finding an adequate REM
A-r xx~~S