The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1916-03-24
WRITER GETS HONOR
AMERICAN NEWSPAPER coRRE-
RESPONDENT DECORATED FOR
BRAVERY ON BATTLEFIELD
MEDALS ARE NOT FAVORED
Special Permission Of Congress Neces-
sary for American to Accept Deco
ration From Foreign stase-Many
offered but Few Are Permitted.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

Washington Since the war In Eu-
rope started thousands upon thou
sands OF decorations OF various kinds
have been given to the soldiers Of kais-
| err, king, president or sultan. A few
| Americans, there are only a few in
| the service Of foreign potentates. also
have been decorated some of them
for conspicuous personal gallantry.
One non-combatant American newspa-
per man has been given decoration
| In recognition of bravery on the field.
No American who is in the employ
OF the government Of the United
| States is allowed to receive any deco
ration from foreign state without
special permission of congress. 1t
| happened that the newspaper man
who was given the decoration for bra
| very on the battlefield is connected
with news gathering association
| which has a rule of its own that none
| OF its employees shall accept a deco
| ration from foreign government. Be
cause of the special circumstances in
the case, this rule was foregone in the
case in hand and the correspondent,
who had shown courage on a battle
field in Poland. was allowed to re-
ceive and to wear the ribbon and
medal given in recognition of his high
conduct in the face Of danger.
For All Kinds Of Services.
In the state department there ig a
case which virtually is filed with all
kinds of decorations, watches, fobs
and other things which it was the in
tention of foreign governments to pre-
sent to American officials
The presents of kingdoms. empires
or republics which are now In the
care of the state department were CIV
en- for all kinds of services. Most Of
those for whom they were intended
were ambassadors, ministers. consuls.
consular agents, or military and naval
attaches stationed in foreign parts.
Congress once in while has granted
permission to individuals who are in
the state service to receive decora-
tons and on one or two occasions 1t
has disposed Of a hundred or SO OF
the decorations at once by giving gen
eral permission to take them and
wear them. The gifts now in the pos
session of the state department rep
resent the accumulation Of year or
two and there they will stay until
congress acts.
A Little Shop Talk.
Once every four years in Wash.
ington It is perhaps permissible for
the newspaper men to talk shop.
There are five Washington chron-
iclers now who are having their
troubles. They are the members OF
the standing committee of correspond
ents. Their names and those of the
papers which they represent are Rich
ard " Oluahan. New York Times; Lee
roy T. Vernon, Chicago News; HI. E.
G. Bryant, Raleigh News and Obser-
yer; Earl Goodwin. Washington Star.
and William E. Brigham, Boston Tran
script.
There are to be held this year three
political national conventions-Demo-
cratic. Republican and Progressive.
While the managers. If they may so
be called. OF the conventions have
final power in the matter they act in
the matter of assignment of seats in
the press stand largely on the rec
concentrations of the standing COM
mittee of Washington correspondents.
OF course this committee does not at
tempt to do anything more than to see
to IT If it can that the newspapers and
the press associations get what they
are entitled to in the matter Of seats
at the press tables
The standing committee OF CORE
spondents has other duties to perform.
The convention seat duty is only
matter of concern once in four years.
The committee has constant Work
through the years. A new committee
lg elected just prior to the converting
OF each incoming congress. The chief
duty of the members is to pass on the
applications of the persons who de-
sire admission to the press galleries
during the sessions of congress.
Only for the Workers.
1t might be said here that no one
is allowed in the gallery either In
house or senate who is not bona fide
newspaper correspondent engaged In
his work of collecting and sending out
news from the capitol No senator or
representative ever tries to get admis-
sion to the gallery for the purpose OF
hearing the debate. either for himself
or for his friends. If he should at
tempt to get seat in the gallery or to
get a friend a seat there. his desire
would be thwarted. and the proper
committees OF congress would uphold
the newspaper correspondents in their
action in shutting out from the gal
lery even SO high a parsonage as a
member of congress OF the United
States.
In the city of Washington there are
about 220 newspaper correspondents