Omaha daily bee., 1917-06-17
American War Medals
Bg Frederic J. Hask:n

Washington, June l4.-Doubtless
one result of the expeditionary force
to Europe will be the creation OF a
new medal of honor to be worn by
those who see honorable service in
the campaign. Practically every war
in which the United States has had a
part, since the civil war. has been
commemorated by a medal, so that
these decorations form a sort OF
anthology of our history in arms.
All governments recognize the
emotional value of the military dec
GRAFTON. Love and money are not
more powerful motives to effort than
distinction. As George Moore cynical
ly states the matter, we are all per-
forming dogs trying to astonish each
other with our tricks, or, If you prefer
to state it that way, EACH of US
strongly desires the appreciation of
his fellows. Wherefore the giving OF
medals is an artistic and effective way
of rewarding merit and stimulating
effort.
The decorations which may be won
in the service of the United States are
OF two general classes. In the first
place there is that long list Of medals
which have been struck out in ac-
cordance with acts of congress to
commemorate particular wars or
campaigns, and are generally given to
all men who have an honorable part
in such campaigns. The other class is
represented by the medals given for
meritorious service, for heroism and
for craftsmanship. These latter, in
the case Of enlisted men, carry with
them a substantial increase in pay as
long as the decoration is held.
The craftsmanship decorations are
Of special interest Just now, because
they have to do with a phase of war
in which American troops have al
ways been superior. Americans have
always been. good marksmen because
they have always been a nation of
hunters, and in nearly all of our fight
ing this has been our most marked
superiority. Within'the last few de-
cades, however, such large proper
ton of our population has been
crowded into cities that the percent
age of men who have handled arms
must be much smaller than it was
fifty or even twenty-five years ago.
Yet the number of these men is still
surprisingly large. The love Of the
open field ard the smell Of gum
powder is strong in our blood and not
easily downed Thus in 1915 some
five million hunting licenses were
taken out in the United States. And
the numerous rifle clubs that have
been organized in the last few years
have added greatly to the number OF
those who knew, to some extent, how
to shoot.
The importance of this knowledge
can hardly be overestimated. Marks
manship is the one part of being
soldier which cannot possibly be I'M
parted in six months. Learning to
shoot even passably well is matter
of years of practice, while to become
a frst-class shot requires not only
years, but good deal of aptitude.
Furthermore, experience in the hunt
ing field cannot fail to be of much
greater value than any amount OF
target practice. Hitting a running
deer is very different proposition
fom plugging blaci bulls-eye on
white background with the aid of
wind gauge, a note book, and an exact
knowledge of the distance. 1t may
reasonably be supposed that hitting
charging German has somewhat the
same difference from target practice.
And, although artillery and the ma
chine gun have robbed the rifle OF
large part OF its importance, trenches
are still won and lost by the quality
OF Workmanship in the opposing
forces.
The superiority of Canadians as
soldiers seems to be generally con-
ceded, and it can scarcely be doubted
that good part of this superiority is
due to the fact that almost every
Canadian of military age has had
some experience with rifles. Gather a
hundred small-town raised or ranch
raised westerners, who hunt every fall
as a matter of course, and compare
them with hundred men of like age
and income gathered at random from
desks and stores in a big city. The
westerners will not only be able to
outshQot the city men, on an average,
about ten to one, but they will have
steadier nerves, know how to take
care of themselves in the open, and to
endure hardship. In this day when so
many things from planting a potato
in the backyard to eating corn meal
are being commended as expressions
OF patriotism, something ought> to be
said for the chap who occasionally
gets away from the manifold and
pampering comforts OF civilized life,
to test his legs by long, hard hike
i'll the winter woods and train his
eyes by trying to hit some fleet wild
thing
Returning to the matter of medals,
the government coniers upon those