Evening star., 1912-11-03

assistant secretary of state by Presi-
dent Roosevelt. Not long after tnat
Car Nicholas of Russia wis hing to con-
fer some recognition on American news
paper men as class. picked out Mr.
.O'Laughlin as a representative mempei
of the fourth estate and bestowed on
him the Cross o: the Imperial order oil
saint Anne.
Decoration and diploma We're sent 10
the Russian ambassador here to be con
ferred-and then came hltch. MI.
-O'Laughlin was an assistant secIetaiH
Of state-one of the highest posts In our
government. The Constitution 10: bade
his acceptance of the honor unless ne
received special permission from Io.-
gress-and Congress was not tnen II.
session Meanwhile the decoration mus.
be either accepted or refused. iheie
could be no delay.
Mr.. O'Laughin took the matter up
with the Secretary of State. The de-
cision Of that official was prompt ana
unequivocal. You must refuse thf'
cross" he said. or resign; - ,s,r,
Mr. OLaughlin went back to ms oWn'
office and pondered over the matter Ioi
an hour. Then he, took up his pen ana
wrote out his resignation.
With the exception of the cross OF the
Legion of Honor comparatively lew
women have ever been decorated. but OF
the few who have received such honors
four live in Washington.
or these perhaps the most notable. is
MISS MaDei bOaTQ1lldI1, NIOsC PHAia
thropic work. especially in connection
with the Red Cross, has won her slgndi
recognition. But Miss Boardman has not
received as many decorations as Mime
street northwest. who has been honored
by four foreign rulers. Mrs Won
Cnschuld was court pianist to, Queen
Carmen Sylvia of Roumania. and In
with the cross of Bene Aerenti. Then
she came to America, and settled In
Washington, where she has lived ever
since. Meanwhile, she was composing
and her works were gaining recognislon.
They became known in Turkey, and SO
delighted the sultan that he conferred
on her the cross OF Nicham-l-Chefakat-
an order given only to women. Her works
also became noted in Servia. and the king
of that country set new precedent in the
orders of his realm and gave her the
cross of commander of the Order OF st.
Sava. Different grades of this order have
been bestowed on other women. but
Mime. Won Unschuld is the only woman
in the world excepting princesses of
blood royal, who holds the rank of COM
mander in ii. Nine. Won Unschuld has
been decorated with the Cross of Merit
by the King of Cobourg-Gotha. another
recognition of her work as a composer.
Another Washington woman who has
been decorated is Miss Eliza Ruhamah
Scidmore. whose home is at 1887 M street
northwest. and who in 1908 was given the
cross Of the Order Of the Eastern Rising
Sun by the Emperor of japan, in recog-
milton of her writings on Japan. Perhaps
more notable than any Of the FORE
going, however is the case of Mrs. Her
man Schoenfeld, once lady manager of
the George Washington University Hos
pital. Mrs. Schoenfele and her husband
have both been decorated, and the two
are members of the same order. that of
Nfshani-Medj.di. created by the Sultan of
Turkey. in 1850. DR.. Schoenfeld is now
consul general of Turkey. but for all that
he is native Washingtonian. He has
lived here many years, where he has long
tngton University.
Mrs. Schoenfeld was decorated several
years ago. She Is member Of the low
est grade of the Nishani-Medjidi. Her
ficer OF the order. And in addition to
this decoration DIR Schoenfeld has been
given the cross of commander of the Or
der OF the Sun and Lion of Persia. has
been made commander Of the Exalted Or
der OF Osmanic Turkey and created an
officer in the Order of the Bust of Brazil,
one Of the most famous Of South Ameri-
can chivalric orders Yet: for all their
quietly at their home in Cleveland Park,
with few of their most intimate friends
even dreaming of the jewel-studded
crosses they keep locked in their velvet
cases. for they never wear them and
never mention them
Far-off China also has it's representa-
tive OF chivalric order In Washington
IN the person Of the director of the Bu-
reau Of American Republics John Barrett.
who was given the order of the Double
Dragon in recognition of his services to
the yellow empire when he was in the
diplomatic service. Col. Thomas William
Symons. United States Engineer Corps,
whose home is at % Lafayette square,
has also been decorated with this order,