Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-12-31
J0FFRE PLEASED III
WHEN MILITARY
MEDAL IS GWEN
Little Silver Badge Comes as
Mark Of Distinction Even 10
Commander in Chief of Az
lied Forces.

Paris, Dec. y.--The satisfaction
with which General Joffre receivea
the military medal recently shows
that even he who might be regarded
as having exhausted all Of the Official
honors that could be conferred on
him, when he received the grand
cross of the Legion of Honor. values
the little silver medal quite as much
as the common soldier.
10 receive the military medal II is
necessary TO have been cited in dis
patches. to have gone through four
campaigns to have been wounded In
face of the enemy or to have accom-
plished some signal act OF courage or
devotion. OF late years the decoration
Of the Legion of Honor has been con-
sidered far more accessible. The mill
tary medal Is not exactly a successor
of the medal Of the veterans institute
ed in 1881. but its purpose is the
same and the qualifications of the
men upon whom II is conferred are
in part the same.
The Legion of Honor as Bonaparte
conceived il and instituted It, was in
tended TO recompense signal services
in both peace and war. and Napoleon
III thought there should lie deco
ration for military services distinct
from an order like the Legion of
Honor which was accessible to ev-
eryone.
Honor Is Coveted.
Its not everyone who Wills that
shall wear this sign Of honor" Ma
poleon said when the Legion of Hon
or was established, and his first inten-
tion clearly was to make it an incen-
tive to his men and officers; he him
self stated that the desire to obtain
the cross grew so rapidly that it be-
came a species of fury. beginning
with Austerlitz. For long time it
was only the theatrical profession
that was excluded from the Legion
OF Honor. Napoleon himself estab-
iished precedent of according the
decoration in recognition of import
ant industrial and commercial
achievements by decorating a man
who had built up an enormous indus
try in wall paper. you compete so
vigorously with the English with your
wall paper" he said, II think you
should be assimilated with the brave
officers of my army, for In your way
you are accomplishing the same thing
as they"
Canrobert who commanded the
Sixth army corps in 1870 is quoted
as saying to a young rifleman that
he decorated with the military. medal
on the field of battle: Now then, he
Is equal to me-" with less stripes
though" replied the decorated man.
Just then both were upset by shock
from the explosion of shell. "You
see very well. !" said Canrobert when
he had gotten to his feet and shaken
the dust from him, that l. was right
in saying that we We're equals, for
you see that shell had the same effect
upon both of US; give me your hand"
Before the war of 1870. $4,000 sol
diers had been decorated with the
military medal. while during that war
$4,000 new decorations were accord
ed. Before the opening OF the pres
ent campaign there were about 5O,-
600 entitled to wear this decoration.
Exceptional Cases.
Among recent inscriptions for the
military medal in the Journal Off
ciel, the following exceptional cases
are reported:
Conducor Dcsbrus of the Fifty-sev-
enth artillery, received twenty-four
wounds from fragments of shells and
had the right arm broken during the
battle of the Aisne, September 81.
Taken back to the base notwithstand-
Ing his protestations. he said to the
doctor who cared for him: TITS far
better that 1t be me than the captain
who was hit by that shell. for the
captain is more useful to France than
IT, Desbrus died from his wounds af-
ter receiving the military medal
Lieutenant Flag bearer Carrere of
the One Hundred and Thirty-eighth
infantry, was present the 22nd of Au-
gust at the moment when, under y
terrible fire. several companies show
ed hesitation to advance. But he de-
ployet the flag Of the regiment and
the CT e TO the flag" succeeded in
provokn a general assault of the
entire line.