The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1916-03-24
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

Washington.-Sincet 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. few
Americans, there are only few in
the service OF foreign potentates, also
have been decorated, some of them
for conspicuous personal galiantry.
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 IL
happened that the newspaper man
who was given the decoration for bra
very on the battlefield is connected
with a news gathering association
which has rule of its own that none
of it's employees shall accept deco
ration from a 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 ana
medal given in recognition of his high
conduct in the face of danger
For All Kinds of Services.
In the state department there is
case which virtually is filed with all
kinds of decorations, watches. fobs
and other things which it was the IN
e. 10 IN a.
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 Oh
those for whom they were intended
were ambassadors, ministers. consuls
consular agents, or military and naval
attaches stationed in foreign parts
Congress once in a while has granted
permission to individuals who are IN
the state service to receive decora
lions and on one or two occasions u
has disposed of a hundred or so Of
the decorations at once by giving gen
eral permission to take them anc
wear them The gifts now in the pos
session of the state department rep
resent the accumulation of year o.
two and there they will stay until
congress acts
A Little Shop Talk.
once every four years in VAST
ington it is perhaps permissible 10
the newspaper men to talk shot,
There are FIVE Washington chroI
iclers now who are having thei
troubles They are the members {
the standing committee of correspond
ents. Their names and those of tn
papers which they represent are Ricl
ard ". Oluahan. New York Times; l.
roy t. Vernon, Chicago News; h.
C. Bryant, Raleigh News and Oose
yer; Earl Goodwin. Washington Sta
and William E. Brigham. Boston Ira
script
There are to be held this year tnre
political national conventions-Dem
cratic, Republican and Progressiv
While the managers, if they may
be called, of the conventions ha'
final power in the matter they act
the matter of assignment of seats
the press stand largely on the re
concentrations of the standing col
mittee of Washington correspondent
OF course this committee does not
tempt to dc anything more than TO s.
to 1t If 1t can that the newspapers al
the press associations get what tn
are entitled to in the matter OF sea
at the press tables
The standing committee OF cor
snondents has other duties to perior
The convention seat duty Is only
n four YEA
The committee has constant VIC
through the years. A new comHlt'
is elected just prior to the conVenl
of each incoming congress. Inc en-
dntv OF the members is to pass on
applications of the persons who
sire admission to the press CALLER
during the sessions of congress
Only for the Workers.
It might be said here that no c
;s allowed in the gallery either
house or senate who is not a bona I
newspaper correspondent engaged
his work of collecting and senolng
news from the capitol No senator
representative ever tries to get adm
sion to the gallery for the purpose
hearing the debate. either for hims
or for his friends. If he should
tempt TO get seat in the gallery or
get a friend seat there. his des
would be thwarted. and the pro
committees of congress would uph
the newspaper correspondents in ID
action In shutting out from the
lerv even so high parsonage al
member of congress of the Uni
States.
In the city of washington there
about 22O newspaper corresponde
who are entitled to admission to
nress galleries. They represent ne
,avs located in towns from Cali