The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-08-22

sell, who made haste to commit all
sorts of Wickedness possible so as to
Fave none to commit when she reached
the years of discretion" Among dis
tlngushed FrenchUomen of this ear
Tier date We're Madame Dieulafoy, dec
GRATED for her scientific work in Persia
and Madame Furtado Hene for her
charitable works. Among decorations
of recent years is that of Chevalier.
conferred on Madame Paquin, wife of
the famous coutourier Mile. Alb
befna, painter. Nine. judith Gautier. au-
thoress; Nine. Daniel Lesueur, au-
thoress: Nine. Brisson, for exploration,
Mile. Poi1pot. president of the Art Or
phanage society. Some of these women
have been promoted to officer.
Among American women decorated
with the grand cross are Mrs. John
6. Leishmann and Mrs. Edwin S.
Cramp of Philadelphia, Mrs. Hermann
schoenfeld was made commander for
philanthropic services rendered to
needy Ottoman subjects.
The Legion of Honor originated at
an after-dinner conversation at NAL
maison in the spring of 1902 Napo-
leon, then First Consul. was the host,
and in the course of the evening
raised the subject of a proposal put
forward in 1889 when the third estate
OF Paris called on the states general to
institute n recompcnse honorable.
puremert personnelle ct non heredi-
taire decernee aux citoyens de toutes
les classes qui meriteraient par femi-
hence de leurs vertus patriotiques gu
Importance de leurs services"
Napoleon's guests included Monge, Du-
roc Cwho with Bertrand shared the cap
|tivity of st. Helena and has. therefore,
his tomb beside that of Napoleon at the
Invalides), Arnault and several state
councillors. Napoleon insisted on the ne
cessity for an order to recompense mil
itary bravery and civic merit" Some of
the objections afterward raised at the
council of state were, one can be sure,
raised In the course of the Malma ison con-
versation. that it might appear as pro-
ceeding from the wish or intention to es-
tablish a new ariStocracy, that the nnanc-
ing of its pensions and establishment
would be too heavy charge on the repub-
lican treasury that 1t should be purely
military, and so on.
Napoleon, however. was not to be de-
tered. Various titles for the projected
order were suggested and dismissed The
term odrc was rejected too monarchical.
confrerie as too ecclesiastical, fraternite
as too iacobincal. At last the Roman
word legion. in its Latin sense of ''choice."
elite, glorious assembly" was adopted.
on the same line of thought which had
sug gested consulat, tribunal. prefecture,
ed by the tribunate, and finally by the
corps legslatif. by 1865 votes to ITO.
There were in 1910 about 1850 members
OF all ranks in the legion. OF these 3O,566
are military and entitled to stipends at
the rate of $50 francs $500 yearly for
ehevaliers, 800 francs 600 for officers
1000 francs (s400) for commanders, 5000
francs $500 for grand officers and 5000
francs $4,000 for grand eroix. The num-
Der, particularly of military members, has
been considerably increased during the
war. The cross is the ordinary decoration
for all officers in the army and navy of
a rank intermediate between the highest
generals and admirals) and the lowest
tprivate soldiers), who are rewarded by
the bestowal of the military medal Any
man. however, may possess both.
A civilian cheyalier of the legion can be
told, as almost everyone knows, by the
minute thin strip of red ribbon affixed
to the left buttonhole of his coat or over
coat or of both. The sign of the civilian
officer of the order is tiny red rosette
something like a small rosebud also af-
fixed to the left buttonhole. The rosette
of the commander, as has been noted. Is
slightly larger. The latter is recognizable
by his "cravat' a red silk ribbon hung
around the neck with the cross depend
ing from 1t, and, as a rule, covering the
tie If in civil dress, the commander
wears rosette like the chevalier and
the officer, but slightly larger.
Military chevaliers, officers and COM
manders in uniform, wear the cross it
self high up on the left breast Grand
officers, if in uniform, wear, besid, S
the cross hanging in line with the sec
ond buttonhole of the tunic a large
plaque" or plate, with the motto OF
the order. This plaque is affixed to the
tunic, low down on the right side.
~
commander dependent from a broad red
ribbon passing over the right shoulder
and under the left arm. and at the same
time display, the left side of the
breast, the plaque of grand officer.
The order can be conferred on towns
and on regimental flags, as well as on
individuals. town is decorated by be-
ing allowed to display the sign of the
order on its city coat of arms. Paris
was decorated in 1900, retrospectively.
for it's gallant resistance to the Ger
mans in 1870 Chateaudun and six other
towns for their defence in the same wnr.
Napoleon decorated Chalons-su Saonne,
Tournus and st. Jean de Losne for re
tarding the march of the allies" by
their firm attitude" Lille and Valen-
ciennes were decorated for their
courageous and patriotic attitude"
1t should be interesting to see
what French or Belgian towns, in adj
dition to Liege already honored. will
be proposed for decoration when the
present war is over.
OF the three Grand Croix conferred
on Americans two are of comparatively
recent date, that namely conferred on
Ambassador MacCormick in 1907 and
that conferred on Ambassador Myron L.
IIerrick In 1914. The third Grand Croix
Is held by eX-Ambassador to Francs.
Gen. Horace Porter, who received the
honor in 1904 on his leaving the Paris
post In the case of Mr.. Herrick the
cross was handed to him on entering
territorial waters when returning u
the United States.
Several Americans are Grand Officers
Of the Legion. Among them are, or We're,
General Franklin bestowed in 1889 for
exhibition work., Ex- Ambassador
Charlemagne Tower conferred in 1929,
Ferdinand Peck conferred in 1900,
General Chaffee conferred in 1905
Gen. Leonard Wood CONFERRED in 1909,
Henry vignaud CONFERRED in 1909, in
recognition of service to France as for
many years secretary to the American
embassy in Paris), and lastly Com
mander Peary conferred in 1919 of
arctic discovery fame.
A long list of commanders includes
the names of the following: Perry Bel
mont, Archbishop Ireland William
Dannat Uhe painter), Admiral Francis
John Higginson, Admiral Charles ID,
Sigsby. Andrew Carnegie. Pierpont
Morgan (deceased), Nicholas Murray
Butler (president Columbia university,
Generals Bell and Crozier, Astronomer
Simon Newcombe and DIR. de Roaldes OF
New Orleans.
Among officers of the, Legion are, OF